N&G celebrates 100 years of marine insurance

Navigators and General (N&G) celebrates its 100-year anniversary today (1 March), making it one of the longest-serving marine insurers in the UK.

The Brighton-based company, owned by Zurich UK, was founded on 1 March 1921 by Captain William Coombs, a Merchant Navy officer and WW1 veteran.

Captain Coombs launched N&G after hearing of the misfortune of a fellow officer, who was demoted to seaman when his steamer was sunk in a collision. The Board of Trade cancelled the officer’s certification, ending his career without appeal. Captain Coombs set up N&G to protect officers whose certificates were withdrawn, suspended or reduced to a lower grade.

From its offices in Brighton, N&G has grown to provide cover for watercraft of all sizes from, small motorboats to large yachts worth up to £10million. It also protects marine businesses, including marinas, hire fleets, boat builders and boat yards.

Of N&G’s 36-strong team, eight employees have been with the insurer for more than 20 years. Many are boating enthusiasts themselves, with specialist experience and knowledge of the marine sector.

Maria Cospito, Head of N&G, said: “For a century, we have protecting our customers on and off the water. Although a significantly different company to the one Captain Coombs formed in 1921, our focus on customers has remained constant, and it’s their trust and loyalty that has helped us to reach this milestone in our history.

“It helps that we speak the same language as our customers. Like them we have a genuine enthusiasm for the boats we insure, whether they are small craft or super yachts.

“For many of our customers, it’s more than just a boat, it’s a passion passed down through generations. Some of our policyholders today have been with us since the fifties and sixties, and we now insure their families too.

“We’ve reached 100 years in a strong position, and we’re starting our next century determined to keep adapting and improving for our customers.”

Captain William Coombs ploughed profits from N&G into campaigning for better welfare for seafarers, and was instrumental in the creation of the Merchant Navy Officers ’Pension Fund and Navigators and Engineers Officers’ Union, both of which exist today.

For every policyholder rescued by the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI), N&G donates £100 to their charity. It launched the scheme in 2018, making the first donation when RNLI crews rescued a skipper whose yacht grounded off Inverkip, Scotland.

N&G won the Specialist Insurer of the Year award in 2020 at the British Insurance Awards.

Who was Captain Coombs?

Standing a fraction over four feet 10 inches tall, he was said to be so small, that he needed to stand on a box to see out of the vessel he was navigating. But what Captain William Coombs lacked in stature, he made up for in bold ideas.

Born on 15 July 1893 in Edmonton North London, Captain Coombs began his maritime career at age 14, going on to spend the early part as a junior officer in India.

When WW1 broke out, he applied to a pilot in the Royal Navy Flying service, but was deemed too short. He instead became a Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve. Post-war he gained his Master’s Certificate at age 25, and moved to Shanghai.

Captain Coombs’ inspiration for N&G came after he heard of the misfortune of a fellow officer, who was demoted to seamen when his steamer was sunk in a collision. The Marine Board of Trade cancelled the officer’s certification, ending his career without appeal. This was by no means uncommon and left masters and officer struggling financially.

Within 24 hours of hearing of his former colleague, Captain Coombes is said to have quit his job at the Chinese Maritime Customs Service. He returned to London to launch Navigators and General. For a premium of 30 shillings a year, masters and officers were afforded financial protection should their certificates be suspended or cancelled. In early years, some 8,000 policies were sold, raising a fund of £12,000.

N&G profits were ploughed back into the business to fund its welfare activities and fight for better Merchant Navy conditions, which had seen pay, standards and safety slump. The company acted as ‘Union’ providing free legal advice to policyholders, as well as support with issues such as mortgages and life assurance.

In 1928, Captain Coombs helped form the Officers (Merchant Navy) Federation, uniting officers’ associations on key issues, and focusing efforts on campaigning and welfare work. The Federation petitioned Parliament for better pay and conditions for British seafarers, contributing in 1937 to the creation of the Merchant Navy Officers’ Pension Fund, with Captain Coombs as Chairman of the Trustees.

In 1935, the Navigators and Engineer Officers Union formed with Capt. Coombs as its first General Secretary. N&G’s seagoing policyholders were transferred into membership of the new union. The Navigators and Engineer Officers’ Union, and Merchant Navy Officers pension fund continue today. For his life’s work, Capt. Coombs achieved a CBE.

He died at sea on 23 June 1969.

Navigators continued to thrive, buying Theatres Mutual and Removers and General. Navigators also took over the Army Navy and General, which eventually struggled. But Eagle Star always guaranteed Navigators’ policies, through Capt. Coombs’ friendship with its founders. So, Eagle Star took over Navigators in 1960. In 1999, Eagle Star became part of Zurich. Today, N&G continues to protect seafarers, from small boats to superyachts.