Our Team
Mike Gaines and Ken Cox introduced the concept of Public Adjusting to South Africa more than 20 years ago and dominated the Southern African market. The company was purchased by Ernst & Young, the largest international accounting firm, and operated under their brand for a number of years. Changes in accounting rules and regulations necessitated a management buy-out of this division which has evolved into the current company.
Mike Gaines
082-8018206 mike.gaines@insuranceclaimsafrica.comMike studied Law in South Africa before joining a Loss Adjusting company in Durban. Several years in this field resulted in him establishing his own Loss Adjusting company which became one of the largest companies of its kind in South Africa. Interest in the Public Adjusting field necessitated gaining experience in the USA and the establishment of this field of business in South Africa some 20 years ago. Mike is an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute and still regarded as the leading authority in the field of claim preparation on behalf of the insured party.
Ken Cox
082-4584489 ken.cox@insuranceclaimsafrica.comKen started his insurance career in 1968 with Incorporated General Insurance Ltd in the claims division. He spent 3 years with them before being approached by Price Forbes who, at the time, were the largest broking company in South Africa and part of the Sedgwick group. Ken gained an enormous amount of claims experience in the 20 years that he spent with Price Forbes handling claims for their large corporate clients in all classes of insurance. Serving on several claims committees he was involved in technical training and the preparation of claims workshops and was promoted on a regular basis eventually being appointed a director of the company. In 1990 Ken decided that a change of direction was needed and joined Mike Gaines to start the first Public Adjusting Company in Africa. In the past 20 years he has been involved in the preparation and negotiation of all types of claims in various sectors of different industries.
Denver Furmage
082-3346608 denver.furmage@insuranceclaimsafrica.comDenver Furmage studied his BComm at KZN University and then his Hons BCompt at UNISA before qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 2001. He was articled with Ernst & Young and remained with the firm in its Forensic Division for about two years after qualifying. He briefly went into commerce before opening his own forensic accounting practice and was then persuaded to join Commercial Claim Services on a full-time basis in 2007. He is based in Durban and manages both material damage and business interruption claims.
Stuart Woodhead
072-0499786 stuart.woodhead@insuranceclaimsafrica.comStuart started Loss Adjusting in 1964 with Graham Miller and Co. in South Africa and was transferred in 1968 to Graham Miller (Europe) Frankfurt, Germany, where he mainly handled Contractors All Risks and engineering claims throughout Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Shortly after returning to South Africa in 1973 he joined Dennis Cook and Co where he became the MD and finally the Chairman after the business was taken over by Thomas Howell and Co and then Crawford and Co. Stuart was the President of the Institute of Loss Adjusters for two years. He has handled many major fire, business interruption and liability claims in some 40 countries around the world. In 2010 Stuart joined Commercial Claim Services where he handles claims mainly in Gauteng, elsewhere in Africa and the Indian Ocean island countries.
Eric Fish
084-4468832 eric.fish@insuranceclaimsafrica.comEric Fish wrote and passed his final Institute of Chartered Accountants of South Africa qualifying exam at UCT in 1980 and was articled to Arthur Andersen & Co in Cape Town from 1980 to 1982. He was registered as a Chartered Accountant (SA) in 1983 and left Arthur Andersen & Co in June 1985 to join Stanley Lief as a Forensic Accountant/Loss Adjuster specialising in Business Interruption and other Financial Claims. Eric still operates through the firm Stanley W Lief CC and joined Commercial Claim Services in September 2010. He is based in Pretoria.
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