Welcome to the June President's message and welcome to three new members of the AILA board’s Asia Pacific sub-committee.

Adrian Humphreys, Lloyd’s Australian General Representative; David Lloyd, claims director – Australia for QBE 386; and Chris Bromhead, head of legal – bank distribution and insurance, advice & private wealth – counsel & secretariat of BT Financial Group; have just joined the sub-committee.

Its aim is to foster closer relations between AIDA chapters in the Asia Pacific region and to convene an inaugural regional conference, in Singapore or Malaysia, in 2016 to mark the 250th anniversary of the decision of Lord Mansfield in Carter v Boehm (1766) on good faith. 

Carter v Boehm concerned a marine insurance policy and, as conference convenor Greg Pynt has remarked, it is perhaps the most important insurance case ever decided. Governor George Carter took out insurance against the risk of loss of some of the contents of his headquarters, Fort Marlborough, a trading settlement designed to withstand attacks by the native tribes of Sumatra. The Fort was taken by French troops.

Governor Carter claimed on his policy for the loss. The insurer, Charles Boehm, denied indemnity on the basis Governor Carter’s failure to disclose the fort’s vulnerability to attack by European forces was material concealment. While finding for Governor Carter, Lord Mansfield described the doctrine of good faith in the insurance context.   

Fort Marlborough, also known as Raffles Fort, was built by the British between 1713 and 1719 at Bengkutu, on the west coast of Sumatra. In 1817, Sir Stamford Raffles was appointed Lieutenant-Governor at the fort. The Indonesians restored the fort in 1984 and it is now in good condition. The conference will include a trip to the fort for delegates.

On a recent trip to Singapore, my business partner and co-founder of Lee & Lyons, Lucinda Lyons, and I met Kent Chaplin, head of Asia Pacific and managing director of Lloyd’s Asia. He is very supportive of Adrian’s involvement in the sub-committee and keen for Lloyd’s to promote both the Asia Pacific sub-committee’s purpose and the inaugural regional conference.

Lucinda is a member of the NSW AILA committee and a former long-serving member of the education sub-committee.

Planning Day
On March 27, the board convened in Sydney for a planning day.

Among other things discussed, the board decided to update the mission statement. AILA’s new mission statement is: The peak national insurance industry organisation formed for the purpose of creating an accessible forum in which insurance education is promoted, reviewed, developed and debated through seminars, workshops, conferences, and digital media.

We add value to members through our regional and international affiliations affording opportunities to develop relationships, foster constructive industry dialogue, and promote insurance law education.

Our aim is to improve the understanding of insurance law and the insurance industry though our education initiatives and raise awareness of issues that impact on insurance law and the insurance industry through informed commentary.

Other discussion points included:  

• The need for AILA to remain industry relevant.

• The excellent networking and membership opportunities AILA provides.

• The low cost delivery of seminars and membership is a benefit.

• Consideration of a stronger consulting role for AILA.

• Better communication between national and state branches.

• The possibility of developing a regional chapter.

• The need to ensure any changes implemented benefit members.

• AILA is AIDA’s most successful chapter.

• The website library could be taken to another level; it is accessed internationally.

• Accessibility for members is important for all members, new and old.

• Webinars would be useful for interstate and regional members. A digital membership category could be considered. 

• Consideration could be given to a national sponsorship program for members.

• The potential for further expanding academia’s involvement in AILA.

• There is a need to modernise the learning environment and remain relative and active while appealing to younger members.

Darwin Meeting
The national board scheduled its May face-to-face meeting in Darwin – the first time the board has met in the Northern Territory. Lance Schmidt, of AFA Insurance Brokers in Darwin, is a long-standing board member and we decided that, just for once, he wouldn’t have to travel to get to a meeting.