DEVELOPMENTS @ www.itic-insure.com

ITIC launched its website at www.itic-insure.com in June 1999.  We are pleased that the site has been of use to many Members and potential Members seeking information and have continued to develop it.  The site now gives Members easy 24-hour access to the considerable loss prevention advice drawn from the Club publications, the Claims Review and The Intermediary, and provides information on the Club, its cover, and the staff of ITIM.

The site has recently been re-designed to improve access to the growing content.  Among the changes to the home page at itic-insure.com is a “News and Discussions” section, where ITIC press releases can be read.  It is also planned for the “News and Discussions” section to contain the Club’s discussions board, which will provide Members with an on-line forum to exchange information and views.

The main site at itic-insure.com is now complimented by two “microsites” which can be accessed from www.itic-insure.com through the “ITIC Members’ Area”, and “ITIC Conference Website” buttons.

The Conference website provides access to the speaker notes from the Forum 2000 Conference.  These papers, as can be seen from the conference review appearing in this issue of “The Intermediary”, provide a unique resource of valuable advice and information on a wide range of industry topics.  The site will also contain information on future conferences.

The “ITIC Members’ Area” now contains a publications section, with articles from previous editions of “The Intermediary” and Claims Review, as well as on-line access to the Club Rules.  We have removed the password for this area to ensure that all ITIC Members’ employees have access, and would strongly recommend that members of staff be encouraged to read these publications, which provide important practical advice on avoiding claims.

The “ITIC Members’ Area” will also contain an area specifically designed for those Members who have Rule 10,  legal expenses and debt collection cover.  There will be links within the facility to articles on debt collection.  Members who have Rule 10 insurance will also be able to notify us of a debt on-line.  Members will be able to email electronic documents which support their claim directly to their account executive via the website.

ITIC does not provide a credit reference service but as a Club we have extensive records of companies and ships that have been involved in claims from Members for outstanding disbursements or commissions.  We have always advised Members that before dealing with a new principal it is worth checking with the Club to see if we have information that may be relevant.  The planned development to the website will make this easier.  A password protected facility will enable Members to check, under a ship or company name, whether the Club has any record of matters involving that ship or corporation.  The fact that ITIC has a record is not, in itself, to be treated as raising concerns, whether financial or otherwise.  A “positive” search result will however indicate that the Member may find a discussion with their ITIC Account Executive of interest.

All Members who have Rule 10 insurance will be provided with details of their user name and password shortly.  In the meantime, we would invite you to visit the Club’s site.