Annual cyber insurance premiums are likely to increase by 15 to 20 percent per year to around $23bn by the end of 2026, according to S&P Global Ratings 2025 cyber insurance market outlook.

Cyber remains the fastest-growing class of business at Lloyd’s, with loss development no longer classing the line as short tail, according to senior Corporation executives.

Cyber insurtech Sayata has let go an undetermined number of staff, including head of partnerships Manny Johl and director of sales Tim Regilio, as a sale process for the distribution platform remains ongoing.

Aon has appointed former Cyber Re Limited and Platform Labs CEO Robert O’Connell as global cyber strategy and growth leader for its reinsurance solutions business.

San Diego-based endpoint detection and response company Cybereason has appointed former Kroll executive Leonardo Saraceni as head of marketing for its consulting arm.

Tokio Marine Kiln (TMK) has expanded its footprint in Singapore with the appointment of Georgina Furness-Smith as cyber underwriter for the Asia Pacific region.

The CrowdStrike outage in July will prompt insurers to review cyber policy wordings and coverage for systemic or supply chain incidents at upcoming renewals, according DAC Beachcroft.

Cyber insurance pricing may flatten next year as frustration with the soft market grows and reinsurers take a harder line, while tech E&O claims are also “quietly doing a little more damage” than people realise, according to speakers at Zywave’s recent Cyber Risk Insights conference.

A report from QBE North America and Zywave indicates that cyber insurance has yet to be factored into the overall cost of organisational cybersecurity.

The Australian Parliament has passed a suite of reforms aimed at bolstering the nation’s cyber defence and resilience, as well as advancing initiatives under its Cyber Security Strategy.

Supply chain risks and exposures in the cyber line of business demand greater attention going forward, according to industry leaders, with the CrowdStrike outage in July acting as a “warning shot” for insurers and the wider real economy alike.

The volume of supply chain attacks grew by five times between 2021 and 2023, with businesses exceeding $50mn in revenue bearing much of the brunt, according to findings from the Cyber Roundup Report 2024 from Cowbell.

Compulsory cyber insurance and tax relief on cyber investment have been identified as two measures that may incentivise greater cyber resilience among UK businesses, with new research by Howden showing that more than half of UK firms have faced at least one cyber attack in the past five years.

Nearly 93 percent of start-ups now carry cyber insurance, with many opting for simplified coverage solutions, according to insurtech MGA Embroker’s third annual Cyber Risk Index that focuses on start-ups.

Ransomware activity remained persistently high in the third quarter of 2024, with 1,257 victims identified and nearly 30 percent of incidents linked to attackers exploiting virtual private network (VPN) vulnerabilities, according to a new report from cyber insurtech Corvus.

Aon’s new cyber risk analyzer will drive differentiated placement outcomes, give clients a deeper view of their cyber risk profile, and has the potential to drive new client wins, according to the broker’s Christian Hoffman.

An insursec ranking report from At-Bay has shown the frequency of email incidents grew by 24 percent in 2023, as well as highlighting that Google Workspace customers experienced 54 percent fewer email security incidents than average and three times fewer than those using Microsoft 365.

San Diego-based endpoint detection response company Cybereason has announced a definitive merger with Chicago-based cybersecurity provider Trustwave.

Envelop Risk has combined its Bermuda and Lloyd’s underwriting activities into Envelop Underwriting, led by Dom Peters.

As cyber threats become increasingly sophisticated, human vulnerabilities remain a crucial concern, highlighted by experts during a panel at Zywave’s cyber risk conference in New York.

Arden Insurance Services has secured a significant growth capital investment from private equity firm FTV Capital, Program Manager can reveal.

Real estate MGA Ventis has appointed Fiona Young as senior underwriter.

Ryan Transactional Risk, part of Ryan Specialty Underwriting Managers, has unveiled a raft of changes to its senior leadership team, including the appointments of current managing directors George Pearce and Rich Stansfield as global co-CEOs.

Aventum Group-owned specialty (re)insurance MGA Rokstone has acquired a second box at Lloyd’s just six months after announcing its first box.

Ryan Specialty has launched a $500mn notes offering, which the wholesale giant will use in part to fund future acquisition opportunities.

Specialty MGA Rokstone has expanded its contingency product with the launch of disgrace cover.

Amwins-owned MGU Business Risk Partners (BRP) has brought in Barak Canzano as a senior miscellaneous professional liability (PL) underwriter with the recruit joining from Herbert H Landy Insurance Agency.

Hybrid fronting insurer Bridgehaven Specialty UK will serve as capacity provider alongside Accredited on a new co-insurance arrangement with UK personal lines MGA Policy Expert.

Platinum Specialty Underwriters is close to a deal to acquire the Greg Flood-led management liability start-up MGA Atri Insurance Services, in a transaction expected to value the business around 19x-20x Ebitda, Program Manager can reveal.

Bishop Street Underwriting has hired strategy and capital markets executive Jeff Arricale from The Woodlands Financial Group as its CFO as the MGA platform continues its rapid build out, Program Manager can reveal.

Starfish Specialty Insurance has begun quoting for the 1 December launch of an employment practices liability offering for professional employer organisations (PEOs) and staffing firms led by former Markel senior director Michael Martocci, continuing its recent run of program start-ups, Program Manager can reveal.

With growth in the global delegated underwriting authority enterprise (DUAE) segment showing no sign of slowing and the sector continuing to invest in talent and technology, AM Best has maintained its positive outlook on the market.

Arthur J Gallagher stablemates Risk Placement Services (RPS) and Gallagher Re have been working in tandem on multiple MGA transactions, with the wholesaler using the reinsurance broker to secure capacity for more than 10 program offerings, this publication understands.

Bay Harbor Re believes it can sustain the low 90s combined ratio projected for its first full year of underwriting over the medium term, as it targets further growth after more than doubling its surplus to $45mn and upsizing its letter of credit facilities to $200mn, Program Manager can reveal.

Alternative capital will continue to play a prominent role in the programs sector, and while there is significant interest from MGA platforms in securing portfolio-wide quota share capacity there remains reticence among reinsurers to support such deals.

Everspan’s founding general counsel and chief compliance officer Nicholas Scott is stepping down from his posts after four years with the fronting carrier, and is expected to move into private practice.

The CUO for construction-focused MGA Tradesman Program Managers Steve Sanchez has resigned from his role to take up a new post with Arthur J Gallagher-owned wholesaler Risk Placement Services, Program Manager can reveal.

Greenlight Re has secured a whole account quota share to support its fast-growing Innovations business, with a panel of reinsurers collectively taking a more than 20 percent share of the Cayman Islands-based firm’s MGA portfolio.

Bitcoin specialist AnchorWatch secures Lloyd’s capacity ahead of December launch.

Insurtech MGU Argyle Insurance has agreed a multi-year capacity agreement with Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co (MSI) to write a portfolio of coverage targeted at SMEs in Australia.

Despite heightened competition in property and minimal impact from late hurricane season activity, the overall growth outlook for the E&S market remains strong, largely driven by healthy submission flow, especially in casualty.

Allied World’s decision to maintain a dual distribution model rather than launching a dedicated wholesale unit has not been an impediment to growth, with the carrier’s E&S book expanding significantly in recent years to account for more than half of its US premium.

Risk Placement Services (RPS) launched an excess casualty sidecar earlier this year which offers a $5mn line on State National paper supported by a quartet of at least A- rated reinsurers, E&S Insurer can reveal.

There is no expectation of a widespread shift in business away from the E&S market, with the sector’s freedom of rate and form allowing it to address challenging issues on the admitted side, according to Westfield Specialty’s founding president Jack Kuhn.

AI is making small business insurance more efficient by refining data handling processes, according to Amwins CEO Scott Purviance.

Moves by carriers to establish dedicated wholesale operations and a commitment to dual distribution has led to continued growth in submission counts, despite stabilising market conditions, according to Amwins brokerage co-presidents Jeff McNatt and Sam Baig.

Surplus lines premium volume generated by the stamping offices of the three largest states for E&S business in the US once again booked double-digit year-on-year growth in October, new data shows.

The US umbrella and excess casualty market is seeing continued stress and change amid a greater focus from underwriters on managing capacity in the face of escalating verdicts and settlements along with tougher reinsurance renewal conditions, according to Risk Placement Services (RPS).

Wholesale broker Burns & Wilcox has said the “gradual and consistent shift” in business from the admitted to the E&S market is a trend that is here to stay, as it also highlighted growing US liability concerns going into 2025.

Wholesale and underwriting giant Amwins has been working on securing additional capacity for its brokers in a rehardening excess casualty market with the creation of a sidecar facility,

To remain relevant in a shifting distribution landscape and capitalise on the flow of business to the E&S space, wholesalers will need to deliver additional value by offering advice, expertise and proprietary product, according to Risk Placement Services (RPS) CEO Kevin Doyle.

Late last month we highlighted some of the themes that were expected to drive discussions as another record attendance descended on San Diego for the WSIA Annual Marketplace 2024.

Kinsale Capital’s share price closed down 5.3 percent on Friday despite a comfortable Q3 earnings beat, with the E&S specialist’ management highlighting increased competition as the reason for a slowdown in its premium growth.

Renewal price increases continued to slow through the third quarter in E&S property prior to the recent active period for hurricane activity, according to the latest data from CRC’s REDY index.

The latest quarterly data from CRC’s REDY index shows that private D&O softening accelerated in Q3, but employment practices liability flattened and E&O and cyber rates both picked up in the period.

The major shift towards softening property market conditions will only be reversed by the return of “fear in the room” from an event which has a major financial impact or changes the perception of risk, although a series of smaller events could slow the pace, according to a panel of brokers and insurers.

As the E&S market arrives in San Diego for the start of the WSIA Annual Marketplace 2024, record numbers in excess of 8,000 are expected, and many of the bullish themes that have featured in recent years are likely to persist around the sector’s prospects.

Axis has brought in Deb Goldberg from Lexington Insurance Company to lead the launch of its new E&S allied healthcare offering in North America.

Aegis Professional Risk, a division of Aegis General Insurance Agency and K2 Insurance Services, has partnered with Stevens Point, Wisconsin-based Sentry Insurance to launch a new E&O program.

Nationwide has appointed Clayton Henderson as the leader of claims, operations, and data & analytics for its commercial lines, E&S, and specialty lines of business.

A disorderly net-zero transition could impact European insurers’ investment returns by up to 13 percent in the short term, a new report by Ortec Finance has said, while failure to transition altogether would slash real estate and equity portfolio returns by more than half.

Carriers are increasingly embracing risks and exposures associated with battery energy storage systems (BESS), including the development of a revenue protection product, as underwriting loss data for other renewable technologies matures.

Zurich’s Alison Martin has called for greater trust from regulators in the ability of insurers to understand the risks on their own balance sheets, while also warning that greater policy intervention is needed to ensure that the industry does not become “the climate change police”.

Davies Group – including its captive management business, MGA/broker incubation platform and Lloyd’s third-party managing agent Asta – will be focused on rolling out a new culture strategy and beginning to tackle supply chain emissions in 2025 under its new office of responsible business.

Axa XL has provided $30mn in credit insurance cover as part of a new sovereign debt conversion project in The Bahamas, which is forecast to generate $124mn in marine conservation funds over the next 15 years.

With COP29 having concluded at the weekend, Sustainable Insurer reflects on the discussions that took place over the past two weeks in Baku and the burgeoning role of (re)insurance in the global dialogue on climate.

As the Convex Seascape Survey published its second annual update, head of sustainability Rachel Delhaise spoke to Sustainable Insurer to explain how greater understanding of the value of blue carbon will enable more capital flows.

Sustainable Insurer spoke to Howden’s Daniel Fairweather about the important role insurers can play in helping realise the value of nature-based assets.

The role P&C insurance companies play in supporting economic and social development can help underpin sustainability strategies, according to Tokio Marine’s Mika Nabeshima.

Digital platforms and agency-based distribution models will be key to overcoming insurance inclusion gaps, a new concept proposed by the Geneva Association referring to socio-economic groups that are excluded from or underserved by insurance markets in advanced economies.

The Microinsurance Network plans to replicate its regional coordination across Latin America in Africa, as the NGO pursues further regionalisation under the stewardship of new executive director Matthew Genazzini to boost insurance take-up among low-income communities.

Organisations working towards net-zero emissions need to manage new physical and business risks that are not always easy to anticipate, according to discussions at the Ferma Forum in Madrid last month.

CFC has confirmed the expansion of its carbon insurance suite with the introduction of a new carbon lender non-payment insurance cover.

A coalition of members from non-profits, start-ups and research providers have launched Insurance for Good, a new US-based non-profit designed to coordinate efforts to harness insurance for the common social and environmental good.

Claims management specialist Crawford & Company has launched a renewable energy practice led by a team from Renewable Energy Loss Adjusters (RELA), including former CEO Alan Tucker.

As COP29 prepares for its second week in Baku, Azerbaijan, Sustainable Insurer reflects on discussions so far and what more needs to be done to elevate the role of (re)insurance in global dialogue.

Marsh has launched a new insurance facility backed by Brit, Talbot and Sompo to help businesses in the UK, US and EU to manage the risks associated with carbon credit certificate fraud.

UK insurer Aviva has issued its latest warning over the risks associated with lithium-ion batteries following findings that almost half of firms fail to carry out regular inspections or follow charging guidelines.

The investment arm of UK insurer Aviva has launched a carbon removal fund to enable institutional investors – including insurers and pension funds – to access carbon removal solutions that deliver investment returns while supporting long-term net-zero ambitions.

Axa XL is forming a cyber risk consulting team specifically for companies involved in renewable energy infrastructure as the growing ubiquity of clean energy assets and lack of cybersecurity controls in supply chains and mergers raise concerns over increasing vulnerability.