IRDAI Surveyor Marine Cargo (S-03) study plan
IRDAI Surveyor Marine Cargo (S-03) · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Marine Insurance Fundamentals and Legal Framework & Cargo Perils, Exclusions, and Proximate Cause
Map the Marine Insurance Act 1963 provisions on insurable interest, disclosure, warranties, and indemnity to the cargo policy wording you will survey under
Define proximate cause and distinguish it from remote cause using at least three cargo scenarios you construct yourself (e.g., seawater ingress leading to rust, delay leading to market loss)
Explain how the doctrine of causa proxima interacts with the exclusions in a cargo policy so you can justify a claim decision in writing
List the duties and liabilities of a marine cargo surveyor under the Insurance Act 1938 and IRDAI surveyor regulations, distinguishing licensing conditions from professional practice
Draft a one-page glossary of legal terms (abandonment, constructive total loss, subrogation, contribution) with your own examples
Your checkpoint
A 1,200-word annotated glossary plus a 500-word memo explaining proximate cause with three self-written cargo scenarios
Marine Cargo Insurance Clauses and Institute Cargo Clauses (A), (B), (C)
Compare Institute Cargo Clauses (A), (B), and (C) risk by risk, tabulating which perils each covers and where the cover narrows
Identify the standard exclusions common to all three sets and explain the effect of the 'caused by' versus 'contributed to by' wording
Analyse the duration clause (transit clause) and explain when cover attaches, terminates, and can be extended
Explain the insured's obligations under the clauses on forwarding charges, change of voyage, and termination of adventure
Apply the correct clause set to three hypothetical shipments and justify your choice of (A), (B), or (C) in writing
Your checkpoint
A side-by-side comparison table of ICC (A), (B), and (C) covering perils, exclusions, and duration, with written reasoning for three clause-selection scenarios
Marine Cargo Insurance Clauses and Institute Cargo Clauses (A), (B), (C) & Cargo Perils, Exclusions, and Proximate Cause
Classify at least fifteen named perils (stranding, sinking, collision, jettison, fire, theft, non-delivery, breakage, contamination) under the correct ICC clause set
Explain the war and strikes exclusion clauses and describe how separate war and strikes cover is arranged
Distinguish inherent vice, insufficiency of packing, and ordinary leakage, and justify which exclusion applies to a given loss
Evaluate the burden of proof on the insured when an exclusion is invoked and describe the surveyor's role in establishing causation
Write a causation analysis that separates the insured peril from an excluded peril in a mixed-cause loss
Your checkpoint
A peril-to-clause classification chart plus a 700-word causation analysis of a mixed-cause loss you construct
Types of Cargo Policies, Endorsements, and Certificate of Insurance & Packing, Stowage, Containerization, and Seaworthiness
Distinguish voyage, time, open (declaration), floating, and specific cargo policies, and state when each is appropriate
Explain the mechanics of certificates of insurance issued under open covers and the surveyor's reliance on them
Draft three endorsements (change of voyage, increased value, extension of cover) in your own words with the effect of each
Assess packing and stowage standards for break-bulk and containerised cargo, including lashing, dunnage, and ventilation requirements
Explain the implied warranty of seaworthiness and the cargo interest's duty of due diligence in a containerised shipment
Your checkpoint
A model endorsement set of three clauses plus a 900-word packing and stowage checklist for containerised and break-bulk cargo
Loss Assessment, Survey Procedures, and Documentation & Particular Average, General Average, Salvage, and Sue and Labour
Sequence the survey process from notice of loss through joint survey, sampling, and final report, listing every document to be collected
Draft a survey report template covering facts, cause, extent of damage, and recommendation, with a clear separation of fact from opinion
Distinguish particular average from general average and identify the acts that give rise to general average contribution
Explain salvage and sue and labour charges and how they differ from general average in recovery treatment
Compute a simple general average adjustment and a particular average settlement using worked figures you set yourself
Your checkpoint
A complete survey report template plus two worked calculations (one general average apportionment, one particular average settlement) with full workings
Claims Handling, Subrogation, and Recovery & Reinsurance, Co-insurance, and Underwriting Considerations for Cargo
Explain subrogation and the letter of subrogation, and describe how recovery is pursued against carriers, bailees, and third parties
Identify the carrier's package limitation and Hague-Visby defences that affect recovery prospects
Describe co-insurance and double insurance, and explain contribution between insurers
Outline the role of reinsurance in cargo underwriting and how facultative and treaty arrangements affect a large claim
List the underwriting information a surveyor's report should supply (packing, route, vessel age, transhipment) to support risk assessment
Your checkpoint
A 1,000-word recovery and subrogation note including a worked contribution example and a checklist of underwriting-relevant survey findings
Regulatory, Ethical, and Professional Standards for Surveyors
Summarise IRDAI licensing requirements, code of conduct, and continuing professional development obligations for surveyors
Explain conflict of interest, fee disclosure, and confidentiality duties in the surveyor's engagement
Describe the surveyor's duty of independence and the consequences of a negligent or biased report
Apply the code of conduct to three ethical dilemmas you construct (e.g., pressure to understate damage, instruction from the insured rather than the insurer)
State the record-keeping and reporting timelines required for a valid claim assessment
Your checkpoint
A 900-word ethics and compliance note with three dilemma scenarios and your reasoned resolutions
Marine Insurance Fundamentals and Legal Framework & Marine Cargo Insurance Clauses and Institute Cargo Clauses (A), (B), (C) & Cargo Perils, Exclusions, and Proximate Cause & Types of Cargo Policies, Endorsements, and Certificate of Insurance & Packing, Stowage, Containerization, and Seaworthiness & Loss Assessment, Survey Procedures, and Documentation & Particular Average, General Average, Salvage, and Sue and Labour & Claims Handling, Subrogation, and Recovery & Reinsurance, Co-insurance, and Underwriting Considerations for Cargo & Regulatory, Ethical, and Professional Standards for Surveyors
Consolidate all ten domains into a single one-page revision sheet linking clauses, perils, and procedures
Complete two timed mock papers and score yourself against the domain weightings
Revisit every weak area identified in the mocks and rewrite your notes for those domains
Rehearse explaining a full claim from notice to settlement in under five minutes, covering survey, causation, quantum, and recovery
Confirm your final revision checklist covers all ten domains at the correct weighting
Your checkpoint
Two completed timed mock papers with a scored error log and a one-page consolidated revision sheet
Milestones
Week 2: You can state, without notes, which perils are covered under ICC (A), (B), and (C) and name the common exclusions
Week 4: You can select the correct policy type and clause set for any given shipment and draft an endorsement from memory
Week 6: You can produce a complete survey report and a general average calculation with correct workings
Week 8: You score at least 70% on both timed mock papers with no domain below 50%