Alessia Ponti / AXA

What is the core activity of your company? Does your company focus on particular geographic markets?

We are marine insurance independent brokers specialized in international trading operations. Our focus is the World! The slogan «Serving International commodity trade» expresses the vision of FILHET-ALLARD MARITIME.
We provide our clients with an invaluable service to the international trade and shipping industry since 1895. The main goal of our highly trained, dedicated and experienced teams is to hedge our client’s risks inherent to their operations with first class underwriters. The risks we handle, include Marine Cargo, Storage, Charterer’s liability / FDD, Cargo owners legal liability, Political and war risks, Trade disruption, Credit risks, Contract frustration, Hull and Machinery, Ship owner’s liability, P&I, Claims recoveries, defence and so forth.

We differentiate through:
– A proper and performing dynamic client’s team always at your service,
– Extensive operational authorities of first class insurance markets,
– Our efficient organization in claims, underwriting and recoveries

Our head office is located in Bordeaux / France and we are present in Geneva as specialized branch. We also have a subsidiary in Ivory Coast and 3 rep offices in Mauritania Angola and Turkey We also have an important footprint in FSU countries as well as in Singapore and Dubai.

In your view, what is the actual trend of your sector?

Insurance of international trading operations (Marine Cargo, Charterer’s liability, Hull, Machinery and P&I, Credit risks…) was always a very challenging and extremely competitive activity. Today we are observing two trends: a concentration of the insurance industry (mergers and acquisitions) and important fluctuations of the commodities prices.

How do you judge the perspectives of your activity’s market?

Despite the challenges we mentioned before, we are confident in our strategy, consisting in increasing our presence near to our clients worldwide, diversifying our portfolio and offering a large panel of tailor made Insurance products.

For your company, what are the benefits of working in Switzerland?

We are working in Switzerland as specialized branch for more than 16 years. The biggest benefit is to be closer to
– the global trading operations of companies present in Geneva, Lausanne, Zurich, Zug and, of course, Lugano
– the different Banks and Funds financing the trading operations
– the various inspection companies

Your opinion in one sentence to describe LCTA’s activity

LCTA is key to access the universe of international trading activity in Lugano.