In complex claims, technical knowledge matters — but perspective matters too. For Satoshi Yamazaki, head of Cyber and Marine at Crawford & Company Japan K.K. (“Crawford Japan”), effective loss adjusting goes beyond assessing facts. It involves helping clients reach clarity, supporting sound decisions, and understanding the pressures faced by insurers and insureds when incidents occur.
Based in Tokyo, Satoshi joined Crawford Japan in November 2022 and now leads both Cyber and Marine operations in Japan, while also working as a Senior Loss Adjuster. His role spans incident response, technical adjusting, client support, business development, and talent growth.
Before joining Crawford Japan, Satoshi built a distinguished career with a leading Japanese insurer and its overseas group companies, working across Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and the United States. Drawing on more than 37 years’ experience in non-life insurance claims, he takes the lead on marine claims, logistics-related loss prevention and litigation management.
On Cyber claims, Satoshi supports insureds through incident response, coordinating specialist providers such as IT forensic experts. He also works closely with insurers’ underwriting and marketing teams to develop and refine cyber insurance wordings, practices, and supporting services.
His international background continues to shape his approach. While the marine cargo market is expected to see limited growth, Satoshi identifies cyber insurance as an emerging risk class with strong potential. However, the market remains highly competitive, with pricing pressure, differing approaches to incident response, and competition from insurer subsidiaries and other providers.
For Satoshi, Crawford Japan’s opportunity lies in demonstrating the depth of experience within Crawford Japan and delivering value that is difficult to replicate, particularly through Japan Connect - a Japanese-language support service for companies operating overseas — helping bridge language, market practice, and cultural expectations when claims involve international operations.
Many members of the team, including Satoshi, have built their careers within insurance organisations. This firsthand experience provides a clear understanding of insurer expectations, approval processes, reporting requirements, and the day-to-day demands placed on claims teams.
As a result, Satoshi’s approach is firmly grounded in the insurer perspective, with a focus on clear reporting, balanced judgement and practical recommendations that help clients make informed, confident decisions.
He summarises this philosophy through three key elements: the pursuit of truth; a solution-oriented approach grounded in sound judgement and balance; and an openness to the insurer’s perspective.
Satoshi says:
“For me, good loss adjusting begins with clarity — understanding the facts, applying sound judgement, and maintaining balance. By keeping the insurer’s perspective in mind, we can help clients reach solutions that are fair, practical and built on trust.”
This focus on trust is especially important in Japan, where non-life insurers have faced public and media scrutiny in recent years. Satoshi believes Crawford Japan is well positioned to support the industry by combining technical expertise with a strong understanding of the local market and its high standards of professional conduct.
He continues to invest in his own development, studying accounting and intellectual property law, completing an MBA, and gaining qualifications including Certified Management Consultant and IT Coordinator. His commitment to learning reflects a willingness to embrace new challenges — including cyber insurance, which he only began working on after joining Crawford Japan.
Outside work, Satoshi’s interests are equally varied. He roasts his own coffee beans, studies photography at university, enjoys travelling across Asia, and reads widely in behavioural economics and psychology.
His priorities include growing Crawford Japan’s cyber and marine capabilities in Japan, developing new distribution channels, and raising the firm’s profile beyond Tokyo in markets such as Osaka and Nagoya.
He also encourages colleagues to see Japan not simply as a regional market, but as part of a broader opportunity to understand different business cultures. For Satoshi, openness to local practice, continuous improvement, and diverse perspectives are key to building strong relationships and delivering for Crawford Japan’s clients.
