Harold Caplan

Called: 1955
Middle Temple

Harold Caplan specialises in aerospace and reinsurance.  His experience as an arbitrator and mediator includes aviation and reinsurance.  He was the originator of the Air Law Group of the Royal Aeronautical Society and a founder member of the British Insurance Law Association.

He is a panel arbitrator for the international court of aviation and space arbitration in Paris, and for the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Career

1948 - Technical Officer - British Aviation Services Ltd (a subsidiary of The British Aviation Insurance Co. Ltd) - engaged in aircraft accident investigation, repair and salvage control on a world-wide basis.

1949 - The technical department of BAS became the Air Safety and Survey Division of the BAIC. HC became successively Assistant Chief Technical Officer and Chief Technical Officer, and (after call to the Bar) founder of the legal department, Assistant Secretary and Assistant Manager leaving in 1969 to start a new international aviation loss adjusting business known as International Insurance Services (IIS).

1970 - Joint General Manager IIS - responsible for legal development and liability loss adjusting. From 1972 the firm expanded to include the investigation and amicable resolution of insurance and reinsurance disputes - not restricted to aviation.

1981 - HC acquired the business and commenced corporate trading (Managing Director). A separate corporate identity International Risk Management Services Ltd was used for the purpose of giving advice direct to airlines and manufacturers - whilst IIS worked exclusively for insurers and reinsurers.

1985 - 1994 HC acted as legal advisor to the International Union of Aviation Insurers.

1992 - IIS Ltd was sold to Airclaims Ltd - a world-wide firm of aviation hull loss adjusters and consultants then owned by the Aviation and General Insurance Co. Ltd, The British Aviation Insurance Co. Ltd and La Réunion Aérienne.

1992-1994 the IIS business was continued under the name Airclaims Insurance Services Ltd. HC became Group Legal Director. In 1994 - to coincide with HC`s retirement from all executive positions - the reinsurance work of the former IIS was acquired by Messrs Charles Russell (solicitors) complete with the lawyer who had been in charge of this department.

1994 to date - operating as an independent consultant on aviation claims and on reinsurance.