General Insurance newsletter Friday 22nd May 2026

Insurance News

UK vs US general insurance market: Insights from John Tallarida of Costero Brokers - In this Q&A, John Tallarida co-founder and CEO of Costero Brokers, shares his perspective on the differences between the UK and US general insurance markets, highlighting Lloyd’s unique value, London’s concentration of talent, and the importance of direct relationships, cultural fit, and long-term strategy for brokers expanding internationally. (IDEX Consulting news, 'UK vs US general insurance market: Insights from John Tallarida of Costero Brokers')
Private Equity is changing. What it means for insurance and wealth businesses - With tougher market conditions, the focus has moved from financial engineering to operational growth. Strong leadership, governance, and scalability are now key, as consolidation accelerates and talent becomes critical for success. (IDEX Consulting news, 'Private Equity is changing. What it means for insurance and wealth businesses')
Benchmark your earnings with confidence - The IDEX Salary Calculator delivers reliable compensation data tailored specifically to General Insurance and Financial Services professionals. Instantly check your current pay against the latest market trends to ensure your compensation package truly reflects your expertise. (IDEX Consulting news, 'Benchmark your earnings with confidence')
Discover the true value of your firm - Built specifically for brokers, insurers, and MGAs, our complimentary valuation tool delivers a clear estimate in seconds. Simply enter your company profile, revenue, and profit details to receive the actionable data you need to drive your strategy forward with confidence. (IDEX Consulting news, 'Discover the true value of your firm')
Helios Underwriting reported a 12.3% NAV total return for 2025, with NAV per share rising to £2.63 and profit before tax reaching £20.5 million, as the Lloyd’s-focused investor increased shareholder distributions, launched a new share buyback programme and continued simplifying its business ahead of softer market rating conditions. (Jonalyn Cueto, 22/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'Helios posts 12.3% NAV return for 2025')
ARAG Group reported €3.16 billion in gross written premiums for 2025, up 13.2% year on year and ahead of its €3 billion target five years early, with growth supported by double-digit gains in both German and international business, an improved underwriting result, a lower combined ratio and continued momentum into the first quarter of 2026. (Jonalyn Cueto, 22/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'ARAG Group posts €3.16b in premiums for 2025')
Hiscox has expanded its “The Most Disastrous Campaign Ever” into its first TV advertising push in nearly a decade, using deliberately malfunctioning ads to highlight the real-world risks small businesses face and build on a broader campaign that has already lifted brand awareness, online search activity and sales. (Jonalyn Cueto, 22/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'Hiscox takes disruptive campaign to TV')
Howden has launched a dedicated US Aviation Practice, led by Julio Jimenez, to expand its specialty capabilities in the US by offering risk advisory and insurance placement for aviation and aerospace clients amid increasingly complex exposures, geopolitical volatility and strong demand for specialist expertise in a consolidating market. (Josh Recamara, 22/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'Howden targets US aviation growth with new specialty practice')
Westfield Specialty reported strong Q1 2026 results, with gross written premium up 31% to US$559 million and a profitable 95.7% combined ratio, as it continued expanding its US and international specialty platforms through diversified underwriting, technology investment and recent build-out across Lloyd’s, Europe and other global markets. (Josh Recamara, 22/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'Westfield Specialty eyes scale in specialty push with strong Q1 result')
Tokio Marine posted record fiscal 2025 underlying profit of ¥711.6 billion and adjusted net income of ¥1.2 trillion, driven by strong overseas underwriting performance - particularly in the US and Brazil - even as domestic non-life profit fell, underscoring the group’s growing reliance on international earnings and broader capital management moves including its Berkshire Hathaway tie-up, higher dividend forecast and planned share buybacks. (Kenneth Araullo, 21/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'Overseas earnings power Tokio Marine to record fiscal 2025')
At BIBA 2026, insurance leaders said AI is already improving underwriting speed, pricing, and broker service, but warned that adoption is outpacing governance, exposing firms to accountability and explainability gaps, consumer duty and professional indemnity risks, operational resilience issues if systems fail, and unmanaged “shadow AI” use by employees - making strong board oversight and human-in-the-loop controls essential. (Bryony Garlick, 20/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'AI opportunity is real, but so is the legal and operational exposure')
HDI Global reported a strong Q1, with operating profit up 6% to €207 million and net income up 8% to €152 million, supported by disciplined underwriting, lower large-loss claims, improved investment income, and a 91.0% combined ratio that keeps the insurer on track for its full-year profitability target. (Kenneth Araullo, 20/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'HDI Global lifts Q1 operating profit 6% on disciplined underwriting')
MS Amlin delivered a standout 2025, with profit after tax up nearly 80% to £268 million, driven by disciplined underwriting, strong premium growth, improved insurance service and financial results, and a combined operating ratio of 83.0%, despite catastrophe losses and softening rates in parts of the market. (Kenneth Araullo, 20/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'MS Amlin profit jumps 80% to £268m in standout 2025')

DUAL UK has secured new AXA-backed capacity for its Natural Resources product, giving it up to £50 million in cover for mid- to large-scale renewable energy projects such as solar, wind and hydro, as it expands its role in the energy transition; the facility was developed by Steve Kelly, who joined in 2025 and brings more than 35 years of insurance experience across construction and natural resources. (Josh Recamara, 20/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'DUAL secures AXA capacity to power £50 million renewables play')
QBE has warned that AI-related supply chain risk is putting pressure on UK cyber portfolios, with its latest research showing 75% of businesses are concerned about suppliers’ use of AI but fewer than a third are auditing those systems, highlighting growing aggregation and systemic loss exposure for insurers. (Josh Recamara, 20/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'AI supply chain risk puts UK cyber portfolios under pressure – QBE')
In further news...UK businesses are adopting AI faster than they can govern it, with QBE research showing 97% are already using or exploring the technology but only 35% of AI-using firms have a formal governance policy, leaving many more exposed to rising cyber and supply chain risks. (Kenneth Araullo, 19/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'UK firms race to adopt AI faster than they can govern it')
Aon is launching its Digital Placement Exchange for the London Market in the second half of 2026, using structured data and algorithmic trading to modernise Follow Line placements, reduce manual friction and give brokers and insurers faster, more predictable access to capital, with more than a dozen insurers expected to join at launch. (Kenneth Araullo, 18/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'Aon launches digital placement exchange for London Market')

Mergers and Acquisitions

South Wales Insurance Brokers has completed a strategic buy-in to Fisher Insure to expand its regional reach while preserving client continuity, with both firms continuing under their existing names during a gradual transition and founders Carl Fisher and Chris Harvey working together to maintain a relationship-led, local service model. (Jonalyn Cueto, 22/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'South Wales Insurance Brokers buys into Fisher Insure')
Hiscox shares hit record highs after reports that Canada’s Intact Financial is considering a potential takeover of the FTSE 100 specialty insurer, a move that would fit Intact’s commercial and specialty expansion strategy while highlighting continued overseas interest in UK-listed insurance platforms with strong Lloyd’s franchises. (Josh Recamara, 18/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'Intact–Hiscox deal talk adds to wave of foreign bids for UK names: Report')
MarshBerry said M&A in the UK investment sector is accelerating a shift from privately owned local firms to institutionally backed regional and national groups, with deal values above £5 million reaching a record £19.7 billion in 2025 as private equity and overseas buyers drove larger transactions and expanded buy-and-build strategies across the market. (Kenneth Araullo, 18/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'Buy-and-build boom transforms UK investment landscape – MarshBerry')

Moves

Markel Insurance has appointed Danny O'Donoghue as Head of Fine Art and Specie in London, effective immediately, to expand the portfolio across fine art, specie, jewellers block and cash in transit while leading broker engagement, supporting underwriter development, aligning coverage with claims and actuarial teams, and pursuing cross-border growth opportunities. (Kenneth Araullo, 21/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'Insurance moves: Markel, Arch, Liberty Specialty Markets')
Arch Insurance France has appointed Charlotte Jephos as Claims Manager, effective immediately, to oversee claims across France for cyber, casualty and executive assurance lines; based in Paris and reporting to Ray Graham, she joins from Beazley after earlier claims roles at AIG and previously worked as a Litigation Lawyer, bringing more than 10 years of market experience. (Kenneth Araullo, 21/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'Insurance moves: Markel, Arch, Liberty Specialty Markets')
Liberty Specialty Markets has appointed Monique Kooijman as General Manager for the Netherlands, Belgium and the Nordics, subject to regulatory approval, with the Netherlands-based executive joining from Everest and bringing more than 30 years of international insurance experience, including senior leadership roles at Chubb and CNA Hardy, to drive regional growth and broker relationships while reporting to Liberty Europe president Pierre-Edouard Fraigneau. (Kenneth Araullo, 21/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'Insurance moves: Markel, Arch, Liberty Specialty Markets')
Aon has named Kai-Frank Buechter and Tracy-Lee Kus co-CEOs of EMEA, effective June 1, with Buechter overseeing Continental Europe and North Africa and Kus leading the UK, Ireland, South Africa, and the Middle East; both are seasoned Aon leaders, with Buechter bringing 26+ years at the firm including CEO roles across DACH and Aon Risk Solutions Germany, while Kus brings 30+ years of underwriting and broking experience across South Africa, the UK, and Asia, most recently leading Aon’s Global Broking Center and previously holding senior regional leadership roles in APAC, North Asia, and UK financial and professional services. (Kenneth Araullo, 20/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'Aon taps new EMEA co-CEOs in major leadership shakeup')
HIVE Underwriting has appointed James Lee as a Non-Executive Director, effective May 19, adding board strength as it expands as a multi-class specialty MGA; Lee brings 40+ years of Lloyd’s market experience, including more than two decades at Atrium Underwriters where he served as agency Managing Director and Group COO and helped build a scalable underwriting platform. (Josh Recamara, 20/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'Insurance moves: HIVE Underwriting and Kingfisher')
Kingfisher Insurance has promoted Gareth Butler to Managing Director to support its growth strategy and specialist broking ambitions; previously Head of Corporate Risks at the firm, Butler brings 35+ years of market experience, including senior roles at PIB and Aon, where he led affinity, partnership, and broking initiatives across commercial and personal lines. (Josh Recamara, 20/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'Insurance moves: HIVE Underwriting and Kingfisher')
HDI Global is reshaping its executive board under its Xcelerate29 strategy, appointing Thomas Kropp as COO and CIO from July 1 to replace Dr Thomas Kuhnt; Kropp brings more than 20 years of leadership experience across insurance and technology, with a background overseeing global IT, infrastructure and operations in the US, Asia and Europe. (Kenneth Araullo, 19/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'HDI Global shakes up executive board under Xcelerate29 plan')
CFC has appointed industry veteran John Howard as Chair, subject to regulatory approval, as it accelerates its US expansion; Howard brings more than 30 years of insurance experience and previously served as Chairman and CEO of Truist Insurance Holdings, with additional board roles at Everest Group, Compre Group and The Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers. (Kenneth Araullo, 18/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'CFC taps John Howard as chair as it eyes accelerated US expansion')
Allianz Partners has appointed four senior health leaders - Marco Fattori, Gordon Delaney, Cyril Samson and Paul Hogan - drawing on experience from Allianz, Cigna, AXA, Gerling and Mapfre to strengthen its segment-led model and boost growth, client service and commercial performance across global and regional health insurance markets. (Kenneth Araullo, 18/5/2026, Insurance Business, 'Allianz Partners names four senior leaders in health overhaul')