When an insured shipment is damaged in Kazakhstan, the underwriter handling the claim is usually a long way from the cargo, often in another country. They need someone on site who can look at the goods, work out what happened and put it into a report they can rely on. ADS Inspection & Consulting has been doing that work since August 2008.
Who we work for
Most of our work comes as direct instructions from insurance companies, insurance brokers and P&I clubs. We attend the site, establish the extent and cause of the loss, and issue a survey report that the insurer uses to decide on the claim.
What we survey
Our work covers six main areas:
- general cargo and containers, including surveys during storage and pre-shipment surveys at the shipper’s warehouse;
- perishable goods, where we check temperature records, logger data, packaging and shelf life;
- warranty surveys for industrial, energy, marine and offshore projects;
- warehouse risk surveys for insurers: fire safety, storage conditions, equipment and security;
- vehicle inspections;
- renewable energy, including the transport of wind turbine blades, towers and nacelles and port transshipment.
Where we work
Our own surveyors cover every region of Kazakhstan, and we reach Khorgos on the Chinese border from Almaty. In Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Mongolia we work through our network of correspondents. All instructions are coordinated from our office in Almaty, and reports follow the same format wherever the loss happened, so an insurer handling several claims in the region gets documents that are easy to compare.
How a survey works
The surveyor attends the site, inspects the cargo, packing, seals and markings, and checks everything against the shipping documents. The damage is photographed from the general view down to close-ups. We then work out what happened and why, and how large the loss is.
We pass preliminary findings to the client straight from the site, so nobody has to wait weeks to understand the situation. The full survey report usually follows within two to three weeks.
Why independence matters
A survey report is only useful if every party can trust it. ADS is a Kazakh company. We are not a branch or a franchise of a foreign firm, we have no foreign shareholders, and our trademark is registered in Kazakhstan. We have surveyors and lawyers on staff, and our reports are accepted by international insurance companies.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly can a surveyor attend?
Kazakhstan is a big country, but in most cases we can be on site within hours of receiving an instruction.
Can you attend outside working hours?
Yes. Urgent attendance in the evening or at weekends is possible at an extra charge, which we agree with the client before the surveyor leaves.
What information do you need with an instruction?
The bill of lading or other transport document, the claim