Beazley worldwide
UK
Since Beazley began business in 1986 in a small office in
Fenchurch Street in the City of London, we've grown steadily in
many ways. Our principle UK location is in London, at
Plantation Place South, from where both our Lloyd's managing agency
and the syndicates are run. We also have satellite
offices in Birmingham, Ipswich, Leeds and Manchester.
Beazley is a proud participant in the Lloyd's market, the
largest and oldest insurance market in the world. Through the
Lloyd's broker network and the market's trading licenses, we are
able to access a wide range of insurance and reinsurance businesses
from around the world.
Many of the lines of business we underwrite, such as marine and
energy insurance, political risks insurance, and contingency
insurance, were either pioneered or specifically developed as
insurance classes at Lloyd's.
US
Beazley has been underwriting US risks since the company's
formation in 1986. Today, the bulk of our US business
continues to be underwritten in London by our Lloyd's underwriters,
but we also have a rapidly growing local presence in the United
States. We opened our first US office in Farmington, CT in
2004 to underwrite professional and management liability insurance
on a surplus lines basis. Through our A rated admitted
carrier, Beazley Insurance Company, Inc., we are also underwriting
an increasing volume of business - including management liability,
professional liability, and commercial property - on an admitted
basis.
The goal of our US operations has been to offer US retail and
wholesale brokers and their clients a level of expertise and
responsive service that is not always easy to obtain in the
existing domestic market, particularly for mid-size and small
risks. Like our Lloyd's operations, our US business is run on a
non-hierarchical, non-bureaucratic model that empowers our
experienced underwriters to make rapid decisions. The tagline
for our US corporate advertising - STRAIGHT ANSWERS - reflects
this.
Our claims service similarly relies on highly experienced
experts working within a non-bureaucratic structure. As in
London, our US Specialty Lines claims professionals work alongside
their underwriting colleagues as members of integrated teams.
France
Beazley has been underwriting French risks for more than 10
years. In 2006, our presence in France was strengthened by
opening a branch in Paris, enabling us to offer an improved local
service to our French clients and their brokers.
The team in Paris specialises in professional indemnity
and financial guarantee risks. Our preferred lines
of business are the non-regulated and regulated professions, in
particular insurance and financial intermediaries (including
banking agents, tied agents and independent financial advisers) as
well as non-regulated service providers, surveyors, real estate
experts and driving schools.
To access our French website go to www.beazley.fr
Germany
Our Munich office opened in October 2008 to service brokers
and clients in Europe's centre of reinsurance. A dedicated
reinsurance underwriter heads the office, whose focus is on
European business that does not traditionally come via the
wholesale channels to London, echoing the strategy we have adopted
with our US primary business.
Hong Kong
We have had a presence in Hong Kong through Asia Pacific
Underwriting Agency (APUA) since it opened in 1997, taking full
ownership in 2006 and renaming the company Beazley
Limited. Our team in Hong Kong underwrite professional
liability risks as part of a range of specialty lines
products. A marine underwriter joined the team in mid 2009 to
focus on cargo coverage and to grow our Asia cargo account.
Singapore
Our Singapore office opened in 2006. The highly experienced
team underwrites all classes of engineering and
construction insurance and reinsurance for the Asia Pacific
region. In 2008, the team expanded with the addition of two
underwriters specialising in Political, Trade Credit, Terrorism and
Contingency risks. The branch in Singapore was further
strengthened with the hiring of an additional senior underwriter
writing Property risks from 2009.
Australia
Our Brisbane office underwrites personal accident risks in
conjunction with the Life, Accident & Health division
based in London. In June 2010 the team was joined by an
underwriter specialising in writing Contingency
risks, enhancing existing broker relationships by offering
local expertise.
Norway
In April 2010 we opened our Oslo office to service energy
business. The operation is complementary to our Lloyd's
offering and our local presence allows us to bring our specialist
knowledge to the Scandanavian market, strengthening our
position.