International conferences are the driving force for knowledge sharing and collaboration

Knowledge sharing works both ways

Van Leeuwen and his colleague Timo Brinkman, agricultural policy adviser, look back and ahead together. In September 2025, the Association hosted the biennial congress of the International Association of Agricultural Production Insurers (AIAG) together with the agricultural insurers. "More than 400 representatives of (re)insurers and brokers came together from all over the world," says Brinkman. "The great thing about being a host country is that knowledge sharing works both ways."

As the host country, the Netherlands has shown how the agricultural sector deals with current issues. Progressive agricultural entrepreneurs, the Delta Programme Commissioner, and stakeholders such as LTO, Wageningen University & Research, and the Ministry of Agriculture were given a stage. They highlighted themes such as climate adaptation, innovation and the future of agriculture.

Brinkman: "At the same time, you learn a lot from other countries. For example, about public-private partnerships. In the Netherlands we have the broad weather insurance. But in countries such as the United States and India, the cooperation between government and insurers is much more extensive to keep crop insurance available and affordable. Dutch insurers and the Association's Agricultural Platform then take these kinds of insights into their own practice."

Maritime risks don't stop at the border

From 20 to 23 September, het meerdaagse congres van de International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI) is on the Covenant agenda. "Transport is by definition international, and there is therefore a strong and active global network," says Van Leeuwen, who has been involved in the business insurance market and transport for the Association for many years. 

The current geopolitical situation will play an important role, just like last year. But due to the developments in the Middle East, this time there is an explicit focus on war risks and their insurability. Van Leeuwen: "For insurers worldwide, the question is how they can organise solidarity and keep risks insurable. For example, if a cargo ship is hit."

Sustainability, offshore energy and the well-being of employees are also on the agenda. Good working conditions are not yet self-evident worldwide. Which means that fatigue, insufficient training or a high workload can increase the risk of incidents and damage.

"An international conference forces you to look across the border," says Van Leeuwen. "You become more aware of your own frame of reference. By listening to each other, you better understand which interests, perspectives and circumstances play a role in different parts of the world."

Looking each other in the eye

The value of international conferences is not only in the substantive sessions. At least as important are the encounters. "We can do a lot online. That is efficient," notes van Leeuwen. "But sitting in the same room, eating together or participating in an excursion creates a 'we-feeling'. And a contact simply becomes warmer and more intensive when you have really met each other. After that, it is much easier to contact each other."

The conferences are therefore not stand-alone events, but valuable hubs in an international network. They help to build new relationships, keep existing contacts warm and thus work together on insurance solutions.

Putting the Netherlands on the map together

Organising an international conference requires intensive cooperation. At the AIAG congress, AIAG took care of a large part of the program and administration. At the same time, the Association had an important substantive and organisational task.

"Normally, one insurer fulfils the leading role. But last year, the Dutch agricultural insurers deliberately organised the conference jointly within the Association," Brinkman emphasises. It was precisely this broad cooperation within the association, with external partners and with stakeholders that made it possible to present the Netherlands from a strong and different perspective. "This is not something you do on the side. Many more people have contributed to it than is initially visible."