H.W. Kaufman Expands in Europe, Adding Amsterdam Office, London Healthcare Unit

U.S.-based specialty insurance firm H.W. Kaufman Group is expanding within Continental Europe through the opening of a new office in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and the addition of a specialty healthcare insurance team in London.

The new H.W. Kaufman Group Europe office and team in the Netherlands includes: Dr. Niels Vermolen, RGA, director; Rupesh Appannah, senior business executive; and Hanna Streng, technician.

Vermolen has nearly 30 years of experience in the industry, including operating his own business as an insurance advisor.

Appannah and Streng are returning to Kaufman, both having spent the early part of their careers at Chesterfield Group in London. They report to James Stevenson, managing director, H.W. Kaufman Group International, London.

The team is composed of experts in financial services, directors & officers, professional indemnity, contingency & political violence, and accident & health, with additional experience in sports disability coverage.

Kaufman’s London-based agency Cranbrook Underwriting has launched the new specialty Healthcare insurance team.

Cranbrook Underwriting is known for its specializations in commercial property, liability and pet insurance.

The company said its entrance into the healthcare space comes at a time when it believes the market demands domestic and international healthcare Insurance, including private medical, dental, travel and personal accident coverages in both insurance and reinsurance capacities.

The launch of this specialized healthcare insurance team provides an opportunity to participate in a globally developing market including Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Far East and Americas.

Gareth Absalom, head of Global Health, joins the team after previously holding board positions at a number of underwriting, managing general agent and brokerage companies. Carolyn Pritchard, underwriting manager Global Health, joins after most recently serving as head of Underwriting and director, Accident & Health, at Dual Corporate Risks.

Both Absalom and Pritchard report to Mike Cernuschi, chief underwriting officer, Cranbrook Underwriting.

H.W. Kaufman Group International, Kaufman’s global business unit, includes H.W. Kaufman Group Europe, Chesterfield Group, Lochain Patrick, Burns & Wilcox United Kingdom, Node International, and Cranbrook Underwriting.

The companies within H.W. Kaufman Group International span across brokerage, underwriting and other specialty areas.

H.W. Kaufman Group has more than 60 offices across the United States, Canada and Europe and employs more than 2,000 professionals.