UK targets Russian shadow fleet with boarding powers in home waters
The UK will board Russian shadow fleet vessels in its waters, tightening pressure on oil shipments tied to Moscow’s war funding and sanction evasion
🇬🇧 UK Insurance News
Readhunt secures Lloyd’s broker status to expand complex risk access
Readhunt received Lloyd’s broker registration, giving the UK insurance broker direct access to Lloyd’s syndicates for more tailored commercial risk solutions
Niyam wins Lloyd’s approval for Syndicate 2047 launch
Niyam Group received Lloyd’s approval for Syndicate 2047 and named Devesh Srivastava chairman as it builds a reinsurance platform for India
Brit launches BRIDGE cargo consortium with up to $80 mn capacity
Brit launched BRIDGE, a new cargo consortium offering up to $80mn in line capacity as cargo values rise and supply chains grow more complex
Lloyd’s keeps Hormuz insurance cover available as war risk rates jump
Lloyd’s will keep insuring Strait of Hormuz voyages, though shipowners stay away as war risk premiums jump and underwriting shifts to case-by-case review
OpenUp raises €20 mn to expand employee mental health platform in Europe
Amsterdam-based OpenUp secured €20 mn from Smartfin and Rubio to expand across Europe and grow its employee mental health platform
Insurtech Kayna raises €1.5 mn seed round to expand in the UK and US
Irish insurtech Kayna secured €1.5 mn in seed funding to grow in the UK and US and expand embedded insurance for vertical SaaS platforms
Insurtech Loxa closes £2.7 mn seed round to expand retail insurance platform
UK InsurTech Loxa raised £2.7 mn in seed funding to expand across Europe, grow retail partnerships, and broaden product protection coverage
Willis partners Qover to scale embedded insurance in UK affinity market
Willis teams with Qover to expand embedded insurance capabilities, combining APIs, analytics, and market access for UK businesses
Fitch flags Iran conflict risk for Lloyd’s and specialty insurers
Fitch warns Iran conflict could hit marine, aviation, and energy lines, with indirect risks from inflation, asset declines, and defaults
Certua Life launches as first new UK protection insurer in 20 years
Certua Life enters the UK market with embedded life insurance products, targeting unmet demand through fintech, benefits, and wealth platforms
Lloyd’s posts £10.6 bn profit in 2025, sharpens strategy for returns
Lloyd’s reports £10.6 bn profit, £57.9 bn premiums, and stronger capital in 2025 while launching a five-year strategy to improve returns
Lloyd’s selects 12 insurtech startups for Lab Accelerator Cohort 16 after Pitch Day
Lloyd’s names 12 InsurTech startups for Cohort 16, focusing on efficiency, new products, and Ireland-led resilience themes
Active Re completes global retrocession programme and expands cyber underwriting
Barbados reinsurer Active Re strengthens capital protection and increases AI adoption across underwriting operations
Encord raises €50 mn Series C as physical AI data demand surges
London-based Encord secures €50 mn to scale AI data infrastructure while Europe pours over €3 bn into models, compute and autonomy stacks
Seraphim Space fund tops €84 mn target in oversubscribed close
Seraphim Space exceeds €84 mn early-stage fund target, backed by BBB and NSSIF, as European SpaceTech funding momentum continues
ARIA backs CommonAI with €18 mn for UK inference scaling
UK’s ARIA joins CommonAI with €18 mn grant to launch Scaling Inference Lab, boosting compute efficiency and AI infrastructure delivery
Lloyd’s digital platform Ki posts record 2025 profit as GMP tops $1.11 bn
Lloyd’s digital follow platform Ki reports 50% profit growth to $110.4m in 2025, with improved combined ratios and expanded capacity backing
Morningstar DBRS warns Gulf conflict may tighten reinsurance
Morningstar DBRS says Iran conflict could push reinsurers to raise attachment points, cut capacity and heighten volatility in marine and aviation lines
Iran strikes disrupt flights as war exclusions hit travel insurance cover
Airlines cancel thousands of flights after U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, but standard travel insurance often excludes war-related disruptions
Canada Life Insurance completes £80 mn Safeway pension buy-in
Canada Life finalises £80m buy-in with Safeway Pension Scheme, securing benefits for 1,800 members as trustees advance de-risking strategy
K2 International launches Lloyd’s-backed PI unit
K2 International forms K2 Professional Indemnity to write non-US liability business via Lloyd’s syndicates, led by market veteran Richard Smart
Lloyd’s Market Association and KPMG warn insurers to reset underwriting for climate shift
LMA and KPMG say rising temperatures and disorderly transition risks force insurers to rethink physical and transition underwriting strategies
McKinsey says AI could add $70 bn to insurance revenue
McKinsey outlines how AI, from predictive models to agent systems, is reshaping brokers, MGAs, TPAs and software, with $50 bn–$70 bn revenue upside
Zurich to acquire Beazley in £8.1 bn specialty insurance deal
Zurich agrees £8.1 bn takeover of Beazley to expand specialty insurance footprint, creating a $15 bn gross written premium platform
Financial Conduct Authority sets 2026 insurance priorities, captive reform ahead in the UK
FCA launches first insurance Regulatory Priorities report, outlining captive reform plans, AI oversight and claims scrutiny for 2026
Lloyd’s List Intelligence to manage Lloyd’s Agency Network
Lloyd’s List Intelligence will assume management of the Lloyd’s Agency Network from April 2026, integrating marine survey expertise with global AIS and analytics capabilities
PERILS sets €467 mn loss for windstorm Goretti across UK and France
PERILS estimates €467mn insured loss from Windstorm Goretti in England, France and Belgium, with France accounting for nearly 75% of claims
Low-growth economy tops emerging risk list in 2025, Gartner says
Gartner reported that a low-growth economic environment remained the top emerging risk in the fourth quarter of 2025, marking the second consecutive quarter in which economic conditions
Swiss Re to acquire QBE trade credit and surety unit
Swiss Re Corporate Solutions agreed to acquire QBE Insurance Group’s Global Trade Credit and Surety business, subject to regulatory approvals expected to take several months
Global property insurance rates fall 9% in 2025
Global commercial property insurance rates declined 9% in Q4 2025, according to the latest market update from Marsh. The drop marks an acceleration from the 8% decline recorded in Q3
Experian brings auto insurance marketplace to ChatGPT users
Experian launched the Experian Insurance Marketplace app inside ChatGPT, extending its insurance comparison platform into a conversational interface used by millions of consumers
Healthtech Pontiro secured £357,5k to scale NHS imaging AI infrastructure
Pontiro raised £357,500 in a round led by SFC Capital, with participation from Plug and Play Ventures and the British Business Bank
Startup FYLD raises $41 mn Series B to scale AI for field operations
London-based FYLD, an AI-powered intelligence platform for the infrastructure sector, closed a $41 mn Series B round led by Energy Impact Partners
Startup SurrealDB raised $23 mn, launched v3.0 multi-model AI database
London-based SurrealDB secured a $23 mn extension to its Series A round and released version 3.0 of its multi-model database platform
Insurtech Concirrus unveils AI-native Inspire underwriting platform
Concirrus has launched Concirrus Inspire, an AI-native underwriting platform built for specialty insurers and MGAs seeking faster decision cycles without loosening risk controls
DQPro selects Hartford for US expansion with InsurTech Corridor support
London-based specialty data firm will build US operations in Connecticut, citing access to carriers and regulatory guidance
UK insurers pay £6.1 bn property insurance claims as weather losses climb
Insurers in the United Kingdom paid out £6.1 bn in property claims during 2025, including £1.5 bn in the fourth quarter alone
Hiscox Re & ILS rebrands and launches Hiscox Capital Partners
Hiscox Re & ILS has rebranded as Hiscox Re and introduced Hiscox Capital Partners, a platform consolidating the group’s third-party capital operations
Pinion Insurance launches with $180 mn Barings backing
Pinion Insurance has launched as a specialty carrier backed by a preferred equity commitment of up to $180 mn from Barings
Insurtech Wrisk acquires Atto to expand embedded finance and credit intelligence
UK-based insurtech Wrisk has acquired Atto, a real-time financial intelligence platform, as it deepens embedded finance and protection capabilities
Admiral Group to acquire fleet insurtech Flock in £80 mn deal
Admiral Group has agreed to acquire Flock, a UK digital commercial fleet insurtech, in a transaction valuing Flock’s equity at £80 mn
Insurtech mea secured $50 mn from SEP to scale insurance AI platform
AI-native insurtech mea has raised $50 mn in minority growth equity from SEP, marking its first external funding round
Chase launched Chase Protect bundled insurance product in the UK
Chase introduces Chase Protect in the UK, combining travel insurance, mobile phone cover and AA breakdown assistance into a £12.50 monthly bundle integrated within its banking app
Automata raises $45 mn Series C to scale LINQ lab automation
London-based Automata secures $45 mn Series C led by Dimension to expand its LINQ modular robotics platform and deepen integration with Danaher technologies
Insurtech ManageMy raised $45 mn to scale global insurance platform
Insurtech ManageMy secures $45 mn, including $20 mn Series B, to expand internationally and advance AI-driven capabilities across its platform
Bound raised €20.7 mn Series A to scale automated FX hedging
UK-based Bound secures €20.7 mn Series A led by AlbionVC to expand automated FX risk management across Europe after trading €1.6 bn in 2025
Fintech Overmind raised €2.3 mn to secure agentic AI in regulated sectors
London-based Overmind secures €2.3 mn seed round to build supervision infrastructure for AI agents across legal, healthcare and FinTech markets
AIG and Onex close $7 bn Convex deal reshaping ownership
AIG takes 35% stake in Convex and 9.9% in Onex as Onex gains 63% control, forming strategic partnership with $2 bn capital commitment
Facultative reinsurance market enters softer phase – Gallagher Re
Gallagher Re’s Pablo Muñoz reports global facultative reinsurance pricing softening after January 1 renewals, driven by abundant capital and expanding appetite
Pension Insurance Corporation secures £155 mn buy-in for Vistry schemes
Pension Insurance Corporation secures £155 mn buy-in covering 1,671 members across three Vistry final salary pension schemes in the UK
MS Amlin partners with MSI on UAE political risk reinsurance
MS Amlin launches a political risk reinsurance partnership with Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance in the UAE, expanding contract frustration cover via Dubai
Cyber reinsurance rates drop 32% at Jan 2026 amid capacity glut
Gallagher Re reports a 32% fall in risk-adjusted cyber aggregate excess of loss rates at 1 Jan 2026 renewals as excess capacity and softer terms reshape the market
Willis adds Dubai and Madrid to global D&F reinsurance placement hub network
Willis expands its direct and facultative placement network with new hubs in Dubai and Madrid, extending global market access through a single coordinated platform
Aviva launches private clients unit via Lloyd’s of London market expansion
Aviva enters a new high-net-worth phase by launching Aviva Private Clients through Lloyd’s, enabling cross-border cover, multi-currency policies, and bespoke underwriting
FCA urges insurers to rebuild trust as 66% of 🇬🇧 UK consumers remain sceptical
FCA deputy chief executive Sarah Pritchard says insurers must fix trust gaps as new data shows 66% of UK consumers distrust the sector despite high claims payouts
Radian completes $1.67 bn acquisition of Lloyd’s re/insurer Inigo
Radian closed its $1.67 bn purchase of Inigo, reshaping the group into a global specialty insurer and lifting EPS and ROE expectations for 2026
Reinsurance cycle looks steadier as capacity builds and T&Cs tighten
Autonomous sees a more rational reinsurance cycle, though rising capacity and softer pricing are expected to pressure terms and conditions through 2026
Artificial Labs raises $45 mn Series B to scale insurance tech
Artificial Labs closed a $45 mn Series B led by CommerzVentures to scale digital broking and underwriting technology and expand into the US in 2026.
Tokio Marine Kiln hires Ben Sitki to strengthen cyber reinsurance team
Tokio Marine Kiln appoints Ben Sitki as underwriter in its Cyber Reinsurance Solutions unit, adding MEA cyber expertise as the platform expands
Discover how a secondary reinsurance market could improve capital efficiency, lower WACC, boost underwriting flexibility and support more efficient pricing
Global reinsurance pricing fell more than expected at Jan. 1, 2026 renewals, with abundant capital, weak catastrophe support, and easing terms
Reinsurance rates in several lines softened quicker than anyone expected this year, especially in casualty and cyber, yet trading conditions across the Lloyd’s market still look reasonably favorable
Re/insurance industry is showing strong momentum. Fund and Insure domain as the big opportunity—potentially generating $17 tn in gross value by 2035