For too long, Stock has not received the attention it deserves. Often wrapped into Property placements or bundled into Stock Throughput programs, Stock is frequently priced alongside risks that bear little relation to its own unique exposures.
However, in 2026, supply chains have changed. Storage is no longer just static. Inventory moves, splits, and sits across multiple locations and environments, often with varied risk profiles. Yet shockingly, in many cases, the way it is insured has stayed the same - and the gaps are inevitably starting to show.
At Rokstone, we have been looking at Stock differently - as a risk class in its own right. Now, backed by USD 25m Lloyd’s capacity, we are expanding our ability to deliver stand-alone Stock only coverage to the US market.
A More Precise Way to Insure Inventory
Separating Stock from Property helps provide a clearer understanding of the risk itself. When Stock sits within a broader placement, factors from unrelated Property risks can affect pricing and terms. Loss history becomes blurred, deductibles are driven by the wider program, and capacity can be restricted.
Pulled out and underwritten on its own, the picture changes.
Pricing more accurately reflects the actual exposure
Deductibles are lowered
Retained risk is clearer and more manageable
Coverage is tailored based on how the stock is stored, handled, and transported.
Designed for How Stock Operates
Stock today moves through warehouses, distribution hubs, and, in some cases, retail environments.
Standalone Stock only solutions allow us to respond to that reality. Wordings can be tailored, and coverage can reflect specific goods, storage conditions, and operational variations. We can also consider stock held at retail locations, provided the retail exposure is less than one third of the total TIV.
This is where specialist underwriting matters - understanding not just what the stock is, but how it behaves across a business.
Why Now?
The cargo market remains competitive, with greater flexibility in terms and conditions. Simultaneously, Property markets continue to tighten in certain areas, particularly where catastrophe exposure is high. That divergence is creating space for a different approach - one where Stock is assessed on its own merits, not part of a broader compromise.
More clients and brokers are starting to ask the same question: does it still make sense to bundle this risk, or is there a better way to place it?
Mike Nukk, Head of Rokstone Marine, said, “There is a growing recognition that insureds can benefit from their inventory being insured on a standalone basis, and we are delivering in a way that truly reflects the nature of the operational risks faced today.”
Mike Nukk continued, “It is a smarter way to think about inventory risk and a differentiator for brokers looking to structure coverage for better outcomes.”
Rokstone’s US Marine team brings extensive cargo and inventory expertise to a class that demands detail, judgment, and consistency. The Stock space is overdue for a clearer, more stable way to underwrite its risks - one that improves pricing accuracy, supports better portfolio performance, and ultimately delivers stronger outcomes for clients.
A Different Starting Point
Stock only solutions signal a shift in how the market is thinking about inventory. When done properly, they create cost efficiencies, unlock capacity, and deliver coverage that reflects how businesses operate today. The opportunity is there, and the question is simple: is it time to view Stock differently?
Speak to the Rokstone Marine team to explore how a standalone Stock only approach could support your next placement.
