How Shipping Insurance Really Works During a War | Odd Lots

When the conflict with Iran started, some of the first headlines we saw had to do with shipping insurance. Marine insurers were said to be cancelling war risk coverage for vessels going through the Strait of Hormuz. Premiums were said to surge. Meanwhile, the Trump administration announced it would offer its own insurance for ships traversing the Gulf, in an effort to get things moving again. So why is insurance such a crucial part of maritime trade? And how does the system actually work? In thi...