Inflation and Its Ripple Effect on Cargo Valuation and Claims Disputes

Inflation doesn’t just impact the price at the pump or the cost of new equipment—it changes the entire landscape of cargo valuation and claims resolution. As material, freight, and replacement costs rise, insurance disputes are becoming more common, especially in logistics. At Arete Adjusting, we help our clients navigate these challenges with clarity, consistency, and a firm grip on evolving market realities.

Inflation affects claims in more ways than one. Higher equipment costs drive up the value of losses. Freight charges increase replacement costs. Supply chain delays extend downtime, adding soft costs that must be factored into total losses. Meanwhile, underwriters and carriers may still rely on outdated benchmarks, triggering valuation gaps and slower settlements.

Social inflation is also at play. Legal environments have shifted. Claimants are more likely to pursue higher settlements, courts are awarding larger payouts, and carriers are under greater pressure to contest or settle disputes.

This is where Arete’s role becomes essential. Our adjusters understand both the technical side of claims and the real-world context. We don’t just process numbers—we examine the situation, confirm current equipment valuations, and advocate for realistic loss assessments. 

Our goal is simple: we want to ensure equitable claims outcomes and unparalleled accuracy in our work.

In today’s climate, accurate valuation isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s core to protecting your business from cascading financial losses.

If your logistics operation faces delays in claims settlement or is struggling with outdated loss assumptions, Arete Adjusting is here to help. We bring real-time intelligence, expert analysis, and strong advocacy to every claim. Contact us today to learn more.

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How Technology Is Elevating Claims Accuracy and Transparency in Logistics

When a cargo claim lands, the clock starts ticking. What happened? Where did it happen? Who’s responsible—and how do we prove it? The answers depended on paper logs, delayed updates, and inconsistent documentation for years. Not anymore. Today, technology is elevating claims accuracy and transparency in logistics, and Arete Adjusting is using it to drive better, faster, more defensible outcomes.

It starts with GPS tracking and geofencing. With real-time data, we know precisely where a load was at any given moment. Temperature-sensitive goods? We can pull timestamped records that show whether a reefer stayed in range or drifted out of spec. Without relying on best guesses, if a delay triggered demurrage or loss, we can show when and where it occurred.

Digital claims portals simplify the process. Clients can submit evidence, monitor claim status, and communicate with adjusters without sending spreadsheets back and forth. It’s transparency in motion—cutting response time, reducing miscommunication, and giving all parties access to the same data at the same time.

Behind the scenes, data analytics helps identify trends that go beyond individual losses. Repeat delays at a port? Rising theft reports in a particular corridor? Our systems flag these patterns so clients can adjust operations before another loss occurs.

All of this adds up to claims that are easier to defend, faster to resolve, and harder to dispute. Because Arete structures our support around clarity, objectivity, and real-world logistics insight, we don’t just use the tech—we use it smartly.

If you’re managing cargo claims and looking for more accuracy, less back-and-forth, and clearer outcomes, Arete Adjusting is ready to bring you the data—and the people—to the table. Let’s build your next claim on facts, not frustration.

Posted in ClaimsTagged in , , , , ,

End-to-End Claims Management in the Logistics Industry: What It Really Takes

When a shipment goes wrong, the ripple effect can be immediate: missed deliveries, damaged goods, unhappy customers, and mounting pressure to resolve the issue fast. However, handling cargo or liability claims isn’t just about reacting to an incident. It’s about managing a complex process from start to finish with clarity, consistency, and speed. At Arete Adjusting, we understand what it takes to handle claims from the first report to the final settlement—and we’ve built our services to support that whole journey.

It starts with incident reporting. Whether it’s a single damaged pallet, a misrouted container, or a temperature excursion, gathering accurate details fast is critical. Arete works with clients to establish immediate intake protocols and gather the supporting documentation required to validate the claim early. That front-end structure helps avoid delays down the line and sets the tone for a smoother resolution.

The next steps include investigation and evaluation—this is where technical expertise matters. Our adjusters understand the nuances of cargo liability, marine coverage, and multimodal transport. We assess loss, determine coverage, and communicate findings clearly with all parties. If subrogation or third-party liability comes into play, we’re already on it—ensuring the claim is positioned for recovery wherever possible.

Then comes resolution. At Arete, we control claims costs by getting ahead of the issues. Technical handling starts the very moment a claim is advised. We bring them to closure with transparency and speed. Our integrated systems and reporting tools allow clients to track every stage of the process in real time, reducing back-and-forth and giving teams the confidence to move forward. The result is faster payouts, stronger partner relationships, and less disruption to your operations.

Claims management isn’t a one-off—it’s a business-critical function that impacts trust, reputation, and financial performance. If you’re ready to streamline your claims process from end to end, Arete Adjusting is prepared to step in. Let’s handle what happens next together.

Posted in ClaimsTagged in , , , , ,

What Makes a Contract Special?

From a risk management perspective, this question is answered by the contractual terms that make the policy holder pay more when they have a claim compared to when standard trading conditions apply.

Standard trading contracts are often taken from other industries that are unsuited to the transportation and logistics sectors. Signing these contracts can lead to significant financial losses, the possibility of no insurance coverage, and even bankruptcy.

The following scenarios found within standard contracts are important to pay attention to, as they can have very high-risk outcomes for the policy holder:

“You are responsible for all claims.”
What it means: Strict liability regardless of any fault or negligence.

“You are responsible for the full value of the cargo.”
What it means: No weight or package limitation, including high value cargoes.

“You are responsible for delays and consequential losses.”
What it means: No limit to freight charges and time crucial delivery.

“You have no defenses to claims.”
What it means: No reference to protection for matters beyond your control.

“You have no recovery against responsible carriers.”
What it means: Certain clauses make you fully responsible for all carriers in the chain.

“You agree to a claimant supportive legal system.”
What it means: Certain legal regimes are less favorable to logistics providers.

For More Information

Please contact our specialists: [email protected].

Arete Adjusting, LLC is a member of the +8 Partners ecosystem. This article was authored by Phillip Emmanuel, Chief Operating Officer at +8 Partners.

Disclaimer: All claims are subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions of the relevant product disclosure statement and/or policy.

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The Importance of Salvage

If you have a claim under your cargo or liability insurance, salvage can be a major headache for the forwarder.

When an accident occurs, the merchant is understandably upset. Their cargo is damaged, but there also may be other implications to the supply chain. Often, they will prefer to abandon the cargo and re-order a new shipment. Such behaviour can be extremely costly for both merchant and even the forwarder.

The forwarder must ensure they try to get the cargo to destination before arranging any survey or inspection. If an incident happens in the port and the cargo is deemed damaged, the merchant will most likely not want their cargo. And may not want to spend time salvaging with the belief that this is the cargo insurer’s responsibility under subrogation.

However, this is not the case. The duty to mitigate/salvage is on the merchant – not the insurer. Subrogation is only after the insurers have settled the case.

This misunderstanding may result in expensive storage / demurrage / disposal / labour charges that insurers are unlikely to compensate. Therefore, we would always recommend ensuring the cargo arrives at destination before any survey is undertaken.

Any delay may also prejudice the claim, especially if it involves perishables. The insurer’s surveyor may help, but if the merchant refuses to cooperate, then this will be a total loss in a very short time. Whilst insurers will not override a decision by the health department to condemn cargo, often the discretion is on the insurer to decide. Perishables may be condemned for human consumption, but they will have a secondary market under animal feed, and this is where complications occur. There is still salvage, and it is not deemed a total loss.

Ultimately, speedy action on finding salvage buyers results in the claim being paid faster with less costs. It’s also common for the merchant to make a salvage offer for cargo that may fall outside its original market, but they still have a use for. This can make adjusting the claim even quicker and simpler.

Salvage is the number one reason for delay on claims adjusting, so it is imperative to involve the broker as soon as a dispute arises.

For questions or more information regarding salvage, please contact our specialists: [email protected].

This article was written with +8 Partners member company World Insurance Services, Inc. and authored by Richard Kamppari Baker, Claims Director at World Insurance. Arete Adjusting, LLC is a member of the +8 Partners ecosystem.

Disclaimer: All claims are subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions of the relevant product disclosure statement and/or policy.

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Litigation Funding and Talent Shortages

“Big issues for the industry says this new arrival”.

Arete Adjusting recently launched operations in North America, fixing its sight on the marine and logistics insurance market.

In an interview with Insurance Business America, Arete’s CEO, William (Liam) Richards, discusses the decision to enter North America and the need for a better claims adjusting experience.

Click here to read the full article.

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Arete Adjusting Launches Operations in North America

Experienced leadership, technical differentiators key to underwriter customers.

Arete Adjusting, LLC (Arete), a Third Party Administrator (TPA) member company of insurance ecosystem +8 Partners, announces its entry into the North American claims market.

Arete will utilize people, technology and its fellow +8 member companies to provide a comprehensive and insightful claims management service to the cargo and logistics insurance industry. The company’s data-driven approach, end-to-end claims management and customized solutions are committed to delivering more profitable, sustainable portfolios for underwriters in the North American logistics sector.

William “Liam” Richards, chief executive officer of Arete, lays out the company’s vision: “We are focused on ‘intelligent adjusting.’ Claims management is not just about navigating the complexities inherent in those claims, but today is about delivering pioneering insights that will redefine industry standards. Arete’s multi-node, cloud-based architecture “Crux©” and 360-degree data analytics will empower our clients with the tools to run sustainable, profitable portfolios.”

Richards previously held senior positions at WK Webster Overseas Ltd. in the UK and US. Juliet Good is Arete’s vice president, bringing more than twenty-five years industry experience, fully half of which was in marine and legal liability claims resolution for transportation intermediaries.

“Data-driven decisions lead to smarter outcomes for our clients, reinforcing the importance that sophisticated analytical tools play in claims resolution and overall portfolio profitability,” adds Good.

Philip Bilney, executive chairman of +8 Partners, said: “Arete catapults the TPA scene into a new era with the most imaginative and robust technology offering in the sector, an intelligent and nuanced offering epitomizing the philosophy of +8.”

“Liam and Juliet are already well known to many of our clients, and their leadership and experience will provide the focus and commitment necessary for the delivery of genuinely intelligent adjusting solutions.”

Arete will work closely with Cornice Claims Associates to extend the +8 Partners platform and support its existing and fast-growing logistics insurance business in North America.

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