Claims preparation specialist Martin Minett Claims Preparation is bringing Melbourne firm Southern MSM under its brand with the business to operate as MM Claims Prep (Southern) as part of a move to expand its national coverage and technical capability.
Southern MSM director Colin Chinner, who co-founded the firm in 1999, will lead the Melbourne-based operation under the new name. Chinner has managed insured and uninsured losses across Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia, including claims involving property, business interruption, fidelity, and liability.
Rob Martin, managing director of Martin Minett Claims Preparation, said the change will broaden the firm’s presence across Australia. “Colin’s experience and presence in Melbourne significantly enhances our national footprint. Together, we are better positioned to support brokers with claims preparation, business interruption reviews, and technical assistance with the added benefit of expanded expertise and coverage,” Martin said. Under the arrangement, MM Claims Prep (Southern) will focus on clients and brokers in Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania, working alongside existing operations in the northern states and Western Australia.
Chinner said the alliance is intended to increase resources available to intermediaries and corporate insureds dealing with large and complex losses. “This alliance represents an exciting new chapter. With our Melbourne-based team and Martin Minett’s established operations, we can deliver even greater resources, technical support, and claims expertise to brokers. Our focus remains on providing the highest level of service, and I look forward to continuing to support clients across Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania,” Chinner said.
Martin said the combined operating model sets out a new structure for handling property and business interruption work across multiple states. “With this announcement, Martin Minett Claims Prep strengthens its specialist team in claims preparation and settlement of property damage and business interruption claims, as well as pre-loss services. With Colin focusing on clients in the southern states and Rob focusing on the northern states and WA, together we are positioned to better deliver to brokers and clients across Australia,” Martin said. Martin Minett works exclusively for insured entities and provides claims preparation and settlement services on material damage, business interruption, and related claims for insurance brokers and business clients.
The realignment takes place against a backdrop of changing global claims patterns, with business interruption and natural catastrophe events continuing to influence insurers, brokers, and loss professionals through 2025. Crawford & Company’s latest report points to a measurable increase in both the frequency and severity of extreme weather events and refers to a “new normal” of climate change-driven catastrophes and greater volatility in the claims environment. The report notes that the growing scale and complexity of large-loss events is leading insurers and claims specialists to revisit methodologies, resource allocation, and data use in managing major files.
Persistent inflation is also cited as a factor in rising claims costs. According to Crawford, higher prices for building materials and labour – linked in part to global supply chain disruption and international tariffs – are putting upward pressure on property and business interruption settlements. In some markets, regulatory requirements for upgraded rebuilding standards are extending claim durations and increasing overall expenditure.
Business interruption exposures remain a prominent issue for corporate buyers. In 2025, 31% of companies identified business interruption as a major risk, reflecting the combined impact of more frequent natural catastrophes and continued supply chain disruption. These conditions have contributed to longer operational shutdowns and higher financial impacts when interruptions occur.
For Australian insurance professionals, the combination of catastrophe trends, inflation, and supply chain disruption is supporting greater reliance on specialist claims preparation services, particularly for complex property and time-element losses. The integration of Southern MSM into the Martin Minett structure will see the combined team working with brokers and insureds across Australia on large and technical claims arising from this evolving risk environment.
