W.R. Berkley Corp. News

W.R. Berkley Forms E&S Solutions Unit

W. R. Berkley Corporation has formed Berkley E&S Solutions, a new business unit that will provide surplus lines casualty coverages to middle-market and large accounts through individual wholesale broker appointments. Curtis E. Fletcher has been named president and chief executive …

Berkley Cooling on Professional Lines, Firing Up Property Cat Re Engines

Property cat reinsurance: “More.” Professional liability insurance: Not so much. The president and chief executive officer of W.R. Berkley Corp., Robert Berkley, Jr., shared his company’s appetite for short-tail and long-tail coverages during an earnings conference call on Monday—flagging property …

W. R. Berkley Corp. Agrees to Sell London Building Known as ‘The Scalpel’ for £718M

W. R. Berkley Corp. announced it has agreed to sell a London real estate investment consisting of an office building at 52 Lime Street (also known as “The Scalpel”) for £718 million ($964.1 million), subject to agreed upon adjustments. The …

W.R. Berkley Optimism About 2022 Comes With Caution About Workers’ Compensation

Executives for commercial lines insurer W.R. Berkley Corp. indicated in a fourth quarter and full year 2021 earnings call that while they are optimistic about 2022, they are exercising caution when it comes to workers’ compensation. “We do have sensitivity …

Berkley Forms Excess Liability Unit for Contractors; Names Starr’s Robinson President

W.R. Berkley Corp. announced the formation of Berkley Construction Solutions to provide excess liability insurance for contractors throughout the construction industry. Andrew Robinson has been named president of the new business, effective immediately. He is based in Newton, Mass. Robinson …

People Moves: Markel’s Hastings Named President of W. R. Berkley Syndicate Mgmt; Chaucer Promotes Sharp to Head of Political Violence & Crisis Mgmt

This edition of International People Moves covers appointments at W.R. Berkley and Chaucer. A summary of these new hires follows here. Markel’s Hastings Named President of W. R. Berkley Syndicate Management W. R. Berkley Corp. announced the appointment of James …

Demand Outpacing Supply in One of Best E&S Markets in 50 Years, Industry Veteran Says

The chair of W.R. Berkley Corp. has been observing conditions in the excess and surplus and specialty markets for more than five decades and views the current environment as just about the best in that time span. According to William …

People Moves: ArgoGlobal’s Birtwistle to Howden’s New Reinsurance Casualty Team; Riddell Promoted to CEO of Berkley Re Australia, Succeeding Piper

This edition of International People Moves covers appointments at London-based broker Howden Reinsurance and Berkley Re Australia. A summary of these new hires follows here. Howden Reinsurance, part of international re/insurance intermediary Howden Broking, has announced the first appointment to …

W.R. Berkley-Backed Vehicle Inspection Firm UVeye Raises $60M in New Round

UVeye, a company that uses artificial intelligence to do fast vehicle inspections, has raised $60 million from investors including used car retailer CarMax Inc. and the insurer W.R. Berkley Corp. “The completion of Series C funding represents a significant step …

W. R. Berkley Corp. Launches Special Purpose Reinsurer in Bermuda

W. R. Berkley Corp. announced the formation of Lifson Re Ltd., a special purpose reinsurer registered in Bermuda and licensed by the Bermuda Monetary Authority. Lifson Re has been capitalized with more than $250 million of equity from a small …