Pioneer Underwriters Launches Pioneer Special Risk of N.Y.

Pioneer Underwriters has launched a new division called Pioneer Special Risk of New York and hired Gary Dubois as division president.

Based in New York, Dubois is joined by Steve Sitterly, chief operating officer, and Scott Misson and Brian Hickey, product line executives.

Dubois brings over 30 years’ underwriting and management experience to his new role. He previously worked at Crum & Forster subsidiary Seneca Insurance, where as president and CEO he focused on specialized niches within commercial property/casualty lines. He also served as president of its Management and Professional Liability Division.

Dubois began his career at CNA and has also held senior executive roles at Liberty International Underwriters, Ariel Holding Ltd and Valiant Insurance Group Inc.

Pioneer Special Risk of New York will focus initially on the areas of Management Liability and Professional Liability, underwriting a combination of International D&O, Professional Lines and Diversified Financial Services business.

The Pioneer Special Risk team will target product lines that are amenable to being written on a non-admitted basis and will expand to include lines such as Trade Credit, Cyber/Technology and Structured Professions at a later date, according to the announcement.

Pioneer Underwriters, a London-based underwriting group within Minova Insurance Holdings Ltd, launched in 2011 and trades as both a risk carrier and MGA/MGU.