In marine insurance the broker is liable to the insurer for the premium even though not collected from the insured. Consequently, the Marine Insurance Act, s.53(2), grants him a lien, i.e. the right to retain the policy until paid by the insured. The lien is valuable as no claim can be collected without production of the policy; the insured may wish to deposit the policy with his bank, or pass it to another interested party. The lien applies not only to the premium on the policy but the balance of any insurance account due to the broker. The lien has been held to apply in other classes of insurance in respect of the premium but not the balance due on any insurance account.