Surveys · Insurance
Marine Insurance & Cargo Claim Surveys in Australia
When cargo arrives damaged or short, the first question is always the same: what happened, when, and why. Gibson Minto & Aiton has been answering it since 1883. As marine insurance surveyors in Australia, we conduct independent cargo claim surveys for all cargo types — refrigerated and reefer consignments, general cargo and breakbulk — acting for insurers, P&I Clubs, loss adjusters and cargo interests.
Cargo claim surveys for every cargo type
Each class of cargo fails in its own way, and each demands its own evidentiary approach:
Refrigerated / Reefer Cargo Claims
Temperature-sensitive claims turn on the data. We examine the cargo, download and analyse data loggers and reefer unit records, review pre-trip inspections and carriage instructions, and establish where in the cold chain the failure occurred.
General Cargo Claims
Wetting, crushing, contamination, pilferage, handling damage — we inspect the consignment, its packaging and its documentation, and determine the nature, cause and extent of the loss.
Breakbulk Cargo Claims
Steel, machinery, timber and other non-containerised cargo — surveyed in the hold, on the wharf or at the receiver's premises, with stowage and handling assessed against good practice.
When an insurance survey is needed
The moment loss or damage is discovered. Evidence deteriorates quickly: cargo is moved, repacked or disposed of; data loggers are lost; recollections fade. Prompt appointment of a surveyor preserves the facts, allows sound mitigation advice while salvage is still possible, and protects rights of recovery against carriers and other parties.
Most policies and Club rules expect the assured to act as a prudent uninsured — and a prompt, independent survey is the clearest demonstration of that.
Who appoints us
Marine cargo insurers, P&I Clubs and their correspondents, loss adjusters, brokers, and cargo owners pursuing or defending claims. We act with strict independence regardless of the appointing party — our value to all sides lies in findings that withstand scrutiny.
What the claim survey report covers
An independent statement of the nature, cause and extent of the loss: inspection findings and photographs, analysis of temperature and carriage records where relevant, assessment of packing and stowage, mitigation and salvage advice, and a reasoned conclusion on causation — prepared to support claim settlement, recovery action and, where necessary, litigation.
Frequently asked questions
Speak to a surveyor
Independent claim evidence, gathered before it disappears.
Reefer, general cargo and breakbulk claim surveys across Australia — for insurers, P&I Clubs and cargo interests.