Latest Excess Surplus Headlines

All the headlines from our Excess Surplus Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Specialty Insurance Broker Towerstone Adds Blanquez in San Antonio

Jun 18 2020 // Towerstone, a Dallas-based specialty insurance broker and IMA Financial Group company, has added Thomas Blanquez to its energy practice and expanded its geographic footprint to San Antonio.Blanquez is a 21-year veteran of...

Update: Lloyd’s of London Apologizes for Its ‘Shameful’ Role in Atlantic Slave Trade

Jun 18 2020 // The Lloyd’s of London insurance market has apologized for its “shameful” role in the 18th and 19th Century Atlantic slave trade and pledged to fund opportunities for black and ethnic minority groups.About...

Lloyd’s Insurers Get Ready to Re-Open in September After Coronavirus Lockdown

Jun 18 2020 // Clear screens on underwriting boxes, temperature-check thermal cameras and a click and collect take-away catering service are among changes Lloyd’s of London insurance workers will see when they return to the office...

Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty Launches ‘Cyber Protect’ Product for UK Market

Jun 16 2020 // Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) announced the launch of a new Allianz Cyber Protect product in the UK.AGCS, Allianz’s entity for large-scale corporate and specialty risks, released its new Allianz...

Axon Underwriting Forms Product Recall Crisis Management Division

Jun 15 2020 // Axon Underwriting Services LLC, a specialty lines program administrator, has formed Axon Crisis Management to offer its product recall and foodborne illness and contamination products for U.S. domiciled...

Umbrella or Excess Liability: What’s the Difference?

Jun 15 2020 // Do I need an umbrella policy or an excess policy? Is there a difference and does anyone care?There are a few reasons that an insured may need (or want) more liability coverage than certain policies will provide. The limits...

Texas Surplus Lines Premium Amount Increases Again in May

Jun 12 2020 // The amount of surplus lines premium reported in Texas in May 2020 was nearly $100 million higher than reported in the same month last year, according to the Surplus Lines Stamping Office of Texas (SLTX).In May 2020,...

AM Best Upgrades Ratings of Arkansas’ Kinsale Insurance

Jun 11 2020 // AM Best has upgraded the Financial Strength Rating to A (Excellent) from A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) to “a” from “a-” of Kinsale Insurance Co. (Kinsale), in...

Enstar Boosts Capital of StarStone U.S. by $610M with Noonan, Consolino as Execs

Jun 11 2020 // Enstar Group Ltd. announced it has increased the capitalization of its specialty property/casualty insurance subsidiary StarStone U.S. Holdings Inc., by $630 million.Three private equity investors have committed $610...

Lloyd’s Insurer Lancashire Holdings Raises US$352M to Target Hard Market Opportunities

Jun 10 2020 // Lancashire Holdings Ltd. has completed an equity capital raise of approximately £277 million (US$352 million) through the placement of new common shares.The Lloyd’s insurer said it intends to use the proceeds of the...

Lloyd’s Launches Application Program Interface (API) to Enhance Electronic Placements

Jun 9 2020 // Lloyd’s announced the launch of an application program interface (API), which is designed to help London market brokers and underwriters place business electronically.The new API is part of the market’s...

HDI Global Specialty Launches London Political & Credit Risk Team with Hires from Neon

Jun 9 2020 // HDI Global Specialty SE, the specialty lines insurer, has launched a Political and Credit Risk team in London with the hires of Nick Robinson and Anthony Vaughan.Both have joined HDI Global Specialty SE’s London...

Lloyd’s Creates Single Body for Governance to Improve Speed, Efficiency of Decisions

Jun 5 2020 // Lloyd’s announced it has merged the Council of Lloyd’s with the Franchise Board, creating one body to govern the marketplace.The decision to merge the two entities was first announced in November 2019....

Diverging Views: Is COVID a One-Off Catastrophe or Not?

Jun 5 2020 // While reinsurers are “open for business” and insurers and reinsurers are reporting the impacts of COVID-19 as a one-off catastrophe impacting earnings rather than capital, equity markets are viewing the...

Former California Surplus Line Chair Grant Was a ‘Determined Leader’

Jun 2 2020 // Donald W. Grant served as the chair of the board of directors for the Surplus Line Association of California, was involved in the wholesale brokerage community and founded a managing general agency.Grant died on May 24....

How COVID-19 Court Lockdowns May Turn the Social Inflation Tide

Jun 2 2020 // Defense attorney Ellen Greiper reported receiving more than the usual number of phone calls from plaintiffs attorneys earlier this month, suggesting that the call dynamics could be signaling a COVID-driven change in social...

Lloyd’s Canada Appoints Former AIG Executive Lipman as President

Jun 2 2020 // Lloyd’s announced the appointment of Marc Lipman as president, Lloyd’s Canada, and attorney-in-fact (AIF) for Lloyd’s Underwriters.Lipman assumes the role of AIF from Lisa Duval, who took the position...

Skuld to Sell Lloyd’s Syndicate 1897 to Legacy Specialist RiverStone

Jun 2 2020 // Skuld, the marine insurance provider, announced it has reached an agreement with legacy specialist The RiverStone Group for the sale of its Lloyd’s Syndicate 1897, which was placed into run-off in July 2019.Financial...

DUAL Specialty Underwriting Adds Black to Management Liability Team in Tennessee

May 28 2020 // DUAL Specialty Underwriting (DSU), the Management Liability division of DUAL North America, has added Heather Black as a senior underwriter. Black will be located in Nashville, Tenn. Black brings nearly 18 years of...

PartnerRe Taps Meyenhofer as CEO Specialty Lines, Haft as CEO Global Cat

May 27 2020 // PartnerRe announced that the company will change responsibilities in its executive leadership for Specialty Lines and will create the new role of CEO Global Cat.Effective June 1, Philippe Meyenhofer will be appointed CEO...