Tell us a little about your role and background at AB Ports.
I’m Lindsay Mountain, and I’ve been with Associated British Ports (AB Ports) for five years. Initially, I joined as an auditor before transitioning to the claims team. My involvement with claims has been through covering maternity leave, and I’ve seen our claims and insurance operations evolve. When I first started, the claims function was split between group insurance and larger claims handled at head office, while smaller claims were managed locally at each port. Recently, we’ve streamlined the process by consolidating all claims under a central team. Now, our small claims team manages all claims across the business, which has improved our efficiency and consistency.
Why did you decide to implement a claims management system?
Using spreadsheets for claims management worked for a time, but as we grew, we quickly realised we needed a more robust solution. Spreadsheets can become cumbersome, prone to corruption, and easily mishandled—especially when managing large volumes of data. What we needed was a central, accessible system that could house all of our claims records in one place, making it easier to track, update, and share information within the team. Implementing a claims management system like LACHS has helped us streamline our operations and saved us valuable time.
What do you enjoy about your role?
One of the things I love most about my role at AB Ports is the variety of work and the diversity of operations. While we are best known for our port operations, AB Ports is much more than that. We also own property, manage a range of land, and operate fertiliser and container terminals. This broad scope means that every day presents new challenges and opportunities—it’s never boring!
What are the biggest challenges you face in your claims role?
The biggest challenge we face as a claims team is visibility. With responsibility for 21 ports across the UK, it’s crucial that every department knows we’re available and able to process claims on their behalf. A significant portion of our claims (around 90%) are against third parties, often to recoup costs for damages to our property. However, many employees aren’t aware that we can recover these costs, meaning that sometimes damages are paid for out of our own pocket, when they should be covered by the party responsible for the incident.
How are you addressing these challenges?
To raise awareness across the business, we are embarking on a “claims roadshow,” educating other departments about the services we offer. The goal is to improve collaboration and ensure that claims are submitted where appropriate. Additionally, we’re working on launching an online claims submission form, which will provide a simple, accessible process for anyone who needs to file a claim.
Can you provide examples of the types of claims you handle?
Our claims are quite varied. For example, we recently had an incident where a moped rider crashed into a barrier because he wasn’t paying attention. The damage to the barrier amounted to £400, and we had to pursue the rider for reimbursement. We also deal with cases involving lorry drivers who fail to properly secure containers, which can result in damage to both the lorries and our cranes. We use security cameras to identify vehicles and hold drivers accountable for any damage caused.
Public liability claims also feature in our portfolio. For example, at our cruise terminal in Southampton, we sometimes receive claims from individuals who have slipped, tripped, or fallen on our premises. We investigate each case to determine whether AB Ports is liable or if it was simply an accident.
We had a boat abandoned at our Southampton terminal for 15 years that eventually sank, causing pollution and danger in our waterways. We needed to recover the costs associated with recovering the boat.
How long have you been using LACHS, and how has it impacted your work?
We’ve been using LACHS for approximately 10 months, and it has already made a significant difference in how we manage claims. The system allows us to centralise all claims data, which helps our small team stay on top of workloads and ensures that we have quick, easy access to information. The ability to track claims efficiently and collaborate seamlessly across the team has boosted our overall productivity.
How do you plan to expand your use of LACHS in the future?
Since we’re still relatively new to LACHS, we’re in the process of transferring some legacy claims into the system. We’re also eager to explore the reporting features more fully. Being able to generate detailed reports will help us demonstrate the financial impact of our work—showing how much money we’ve recouped for the business through successful claims. This will be invaluable in gaining buy-in from the wider business and highlighting the value of the claims team.
How has your experience been working with the JCAD team?
The JCAD team, particularly Oli, has been fantastic. They’ve been incredibly supportive in helping us configure LACHS to meet our specific needs and have been responsive to any questions or challenges we’ve faced. Their expertise has been invaluable in ensuring the system works as required.
