Clearwater Underwriting combines specialist marine war insurance capacity with real-world maritime security expertise to support vessels operating in high-risk environments.
Our approach extends beyond traditional insurance. Drawing on direct experience in maritime security, global intelligence, and operational advisory, Clearwater Underwriting provides actionable insight that supports both our underwriting decisions and our clients’ voyage planning. Access to timely intelligence and operational awareness helps vessel owners, charterers, and technical managers better understand and manage evolving risks during high-risk transits.
Pre-transit intelligence briefings, real-time threat updates, and practical guidance for vessel masters and crews form a core part of this capability. Remote briefings can be delivered prior to entering breach areas, while vessel embarkations may be arranged where enhanced operational support is required.
Marine War
Where security teams are deployed, Clearwater Underwriting can provide independent oversight and advisory support to help ensure alignment with recognised best practice and operational effectiveness. Close coordination between underwriting insight and operational intelligence enables more informed risk selection and improved risk mitigation for insureds.
By integrating underwriting capability with frontline maritime risk expertise, Clearwater Underwriting delivers insurance solutions that not only protect assets but also help reduce exposure during complex transits. The result is greater confidence for brokers, vessel operators, and crews navigating today’s increasingly uncertain geopolitical maritime environment.
Insured Products
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Marine War Risks
War Risks cover for physical damage and war P&I liabilities, supporting both worldwide trading and voyages to Listed Areas.
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Kidnap and Ransom
Kidnap and Ransom insurance indemnifies organisations against the financial consequences arising from the kidnap of a vessel’s crew or for ransom.
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Cargo War
Cargo War Insurance protects goods in transit against losses arising from war, terrorism, piracy, strikes, riots, and civil commotion.
What Makes Us Different?
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24/7 vessel monitoring
We arrange active vessel monitoring, either continuously or during transits through High Risk Areas.
By tracking planned routes in real time, our specialist monitoring partners quickly identify deviations and assess emerging risks. -
Vessel tracking
Vessel movements are tracked using multiple independent data sources, including proprietary AIS feeds, Inmarsat-C, and IoT devices capable of live reporting and breach detection.
This layered monitoring approach improves situational awareness while creating a reliable evidential record for safety, security, and potential legal or salvage purposes. -
Maritime Intelligence
Information is drawn from multiple intelligence sources and filtered to highlight developments that are genuinely relevant to vessel operations and insurer risk exposure.
By prioritising signal over noise, alerts provide clear, actionable insight that supports voyage planning, crew awareness, and informed underwriting decisions.
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Security Advisor Deployment
Experienced security advisors can be deployed onboard vessels operating in High Risk Areas to directly support the Master and crew. This “on-the-ship” presence provides real-time operational guidance, enhances situational awareness, reinforces compliance with security protocols, and enables early identification and mitigation of potential threats.
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Masters Briefings
Direct briefings with vessel Masters operating in High Risk Areas provide operational insight that cannot be captured through documentation alone. This capability strengthens onboard readiness where required.
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Vessel Forensic Reports
Clearwater Underwriting utilises Vessel Forensic Reports generated using real-time maritime data.
These reports provide focused risk analysis for vessels operating in high-risk maritime regions, including identification of vessels with heightened exposure on Red Sea and Gulf of Aden voyages.
Meet the Team
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Chief Underwriting Officer
richard@cw-uw.com
Richard brings over 30 years of insurance experience, including 27 years within the Lloyd’s of London market. Most recently, he served as Head of Hull & War at Beazley, where he was responsible for strategic underwriting direction, portfolio performance, and broker relationship management within a highly specialised global class of business.Although marine remains his core discipline and professional passion, Richard has developed broad underwriting expertise across multiple lines, including Marine Hull & War, Marine Excess of Loss, Cargo, General Aviation, Offshore Energy, and Terrorism & Political Violence. His cross-class experience provides him with a comprehensive understanding of interconnected global risk exposures and portfolio diversification strategies.
Richard is recognised for his disciplined underwriting approach, deep market relationships, and ability to navigate complex geopolitical and maritime risk environments.
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Head of Hull
richard.bridges@cw-uw.comRichard began his London Market career in 1987 and has been actively underwriting since 1991. Over more than three decades, he has built extensive experience across Marine Hull & War, Cargo, Marine Energy, and Marine Liability classes.
He has over 13 years’ experience as a Class Underwriter at Lloyd’s of London, most recently serving as Head of Marine Hull & War at Travelers Syndicate 5000. In this capacity, he led underwriting strategy, portfolio management, and broker engagement within a complex global risk landscape.
Richard has played an active role in market governance and technical development. He has served on the Joint Hull Committee and was Chairman of the JHC Navigating Limits Sub-Committee, contributing to the development and refinement of market wordings and underwriting frameworks. He is widely respected for his technical expertise, leadership, and longstanding contribution to the marine insurance market.
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Underwriting Assistant
alex@cw-uw.comAlex joined Clearwater UW as an Underwriting Assistant following completion of a BSc in Economics from the University of Nottingham.
He brings strong analytical capability, numerical proficiency, and close attention to detail. At Clearwater, Alex supports underwriting operations through data analysis, documentation management, and broker coordination, contributing to efficient risk assessment and portfolio administration.
He is committed to building a long-term career within the London Market and developing technical underwriting expertise within specialty marine and war risk classes.
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Head of Risk Management
jake.best@cw-uw.com
Following military training, Jake developed a distinguished career spanning general risk management, maritime security, and intelligence-led advisory services. His professional experience sits at the intersection of operational delivery, strategic risk planning, and geopolitical analysis.Over the past decade, he has completed numerous specialist professional courses and gained extensive international operational and project management experience across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. His career encompasses the full spectrum of maritime risk delivery — from frontline operational roles to strategic programme design, coordination, and senior leadership.
Jake played a pivotal role in the establishment of Clearwater, serving as Operations Director and leading the firm’s data and intelligence functions. He oversaw maritime intelligence management, control documentation governance, and the recruitment and leadership of intelligence analysts and watchkeepers. He also built and maintained relationships with leading accredited maritime reporting centres and managed key strategic commercial and technical partnerships.
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Underwriter
james@cw-uw.com
James commenced his career in the London Market in 2013 as a Lloyd’s of London Apprentice, establishing a strong technical and professional foundation within one of the world’s leading insurance platforms. He subsequently joined Atrium Underwriters Ltd (Syndicate 609), where he spent 11 years developing deep expertise across Marine and Energy lines of business. During this time, he built a particular specialism in Marine Hull & Machinery, War, Ship Construction, and Subsea Cable risks, gaining comprehensive exposure to complex and high-value global portfolios.At Clearwater Underwriting, James serves as a Hull & War Underwriter and additionally holds the position of Head of Subsea Cables at InterProtect. In these roles, he is integral to the development and delivery of the Clearwater Marine proposition, while leading underwriting strategy for global submarine power and telecommunications cable risks. His ability to integrate Hull & War expertise with specialist subsea cable knowledge enables a cohesive and technically robust underwriting approach across interconnected risk classes.
James is recognised for his disciplined underwriting philosophy, analytical rigour, and strong awareness of geopolitical dynamics and evolving market wordings. He has further strengthened his technical capability through close collaboration with leading cable risk engineers, warranty surveyors, loss adjusters, and maritime security advisers. This multidisciplinary engagement ensures the delivery of resilient, bespoke insurance solutions tailored to the complex risk profiles of his clients.
Get in touch
Contact us to discuss your clients’ War Risks requirements and our team will structure a tailored underwriting solution to support their trading profile and risk exposure.