Abstract
In his paper, Hiller poses a series of questions relating to apparent contradictions that exist in the field of marine underwriting. He begins, however, with a brief reflection on the roles and functions of marine underwriters, and what they claim to do and claim to sell as compared with what they actually do and say. His paper is essentially about the conflicting nature of the underwriter's task and the objectives that the underwriter is typically required to achieve. He highlights the difficulties that marine underwriters face in reconciling policyholder needs with insurance company shareholder needs.