The effects of climate change are critically important to us all, not least the insurance sector, which needs to monitor risks of flooding and other natural incidents that are developing as the ecological balance alters. The initiative by Catlin Group Limited (CGL) to be title sponsor of the Catlin Arctic Survey was a proactive and positive response to the need for scientific data, and the naming of the Survey Team Pen Hadow, Martin Hartley and Ann Daniels by Time Magazine as “Heroes of the Environment 2009” was well deserved.

Catlin Group is an international speciality property/casualty insurer and reinsurer, with particular expertise in underwriting medically related business such as medical equipment manufacturers, medical research companies and prosthetics manufacturers.  J Bennett & Son’s agency with Catlin is related to placing commercial insurance and we have also had a long relationship with Catlin’s Marine Transit Team.

Hadow, Hartley and Daniels spent 73 days on the floating Arctic Sea Ice and travelled 434 km towards the North Geographic Pole. Their mission was to measure the thickness and density of the ice, helping researchers to estimate how long the Arctic icecap will remain a feature of the Earth’s natural environment. In spite of hardships and physical injury, the team managed to make 16,000 observations and take 1,500 measurements, invaluable information for scientists to formulate future strategies.

J Bennett & Son strongly supports Catlin’s stance on the environment.  Catlin are members of ClimateWise, a group of leading organisations in the insurance sector that are committed to taking action on climate change. This includes acting on a set of principles established for insurance and reinsurance companies worldwide to demonstrate how they recognise climate change in their operations. This shows a genuine appreciation of the issue and how business can offer solutions.