Abstract/Summary

Takings at sea by pirates, enemies and state authorities have been and remain a constant threat to ship and cargo owners. In this article we trace the response of the London insurance market to this risk, and we consider in particular three recent English decisions that have sought to clarify various aspects of the law. Our focus is on the three most important wordings that might relate to takings at sea: piracy; capture and seizure; and malicious acts. As the article demonstrates, these concepts are not as straightforward as they might at first sight appear.