The founder of the company, Claas Wessel Brons, was born into an established merchant’s family in Emden on 21st January 1845.
Claas W. Brons was founded on 1st July 1871 and carried out business in merchant handling.
In connection with the newly founded Protection & Indemnity Clubs Claas W. Brons moved into the market and opened loss commissioner’s offices in the Hamburg region and other German ports.
Due to the increasing volume of vessel the Clubs developed into comprehensive and extensive companies.
Due to considerable business experience and discretion Claas W. Brons earned complete trust Hamburg commercial field and in the shipping business for example with the former Hamburg Süd Group and also associated companies. Due to his experience he was appointed on the board of directs for companies such as the Eisenwerk AG, Marienthaler Bier-Brauerei AG, Hollersche Carlshütte, Rendsburg etc. Later on he was appointed as chairman of the board.
As a result of the two World Wars many of company’s activities came to a standstill. Unfortunately the founder of company did not live to see the reactivation of the business after the 1st World War as he died on 27th February 1928.
The business was taken over by his nephew Georg Brons.
After a few problems in the beginning he was successful in recovering connections especially with the Protection & Indemnity clubs. The increase in traffic especially British vessels in the Port of Hamburg lead to considerable growth in the company’s activities in comparison to before the war. Greater developments of the company came after the World War II as the owner’s son Heiko Claas Brons joined the company.
For the first time it was possible to interest German Shipping Companies in a membership with a Protection & indemnity club which contributed to further expansion in the field of business.
Georg F Brons died at the reverently age of 87 on 7th November 1972.
Since then his son Heiko Claas Brons has been head of company, which meanwhile is a GmbH & Co KG.
Today Claas W. Brons works as Club correspondence in general with all P&I Clubs and legal protection insurers in Germany.
Claas W. Brons also works as an insurance broker and in special circumstance as insurance agent on a worldwide scale in the following areas:
- P&I for Owners
- P&I for Charterers
- Damage to hull for Charterers
- FD&D insurance
- Loss of hire insurance
- Port expenses insurance
- Bunker insurance
- Agency insurance
- SOL
- Deviation insurance for Bills of Lading
- Deviation insurance for passengers
- Travel health insurance for passengers
- Through transport insurance
- Error and omission insurance
To fully cover the needs of the shipping industry offices were open up in Bremen and Cuxhaven. Not only did this help in support for the German and foreign shipping lines in German ports but it also lead to the development of a worldwide network for the handling of claims.
When sub-contractors are needed there are 400 Club correspondents worldwide on offer. In Germany the companies that are widely acknowledged and well connected are used.
At the moment 25 employees are working for Claas W. Brons in Hamburg, Bremen and Cuxhaven.