StarStone US brings in ex-Velocity CUO Oliphant as E&S property president

StarStone US has brought in Alison Oliphant as president of its newly-formed excess & surplus (E&S) property division.

Oliphant will oversee all aspects of the revamped StarStone US’ E&S property unit, including being responsible for its dedicated underwriting teams. StarStone US intends to launch this property E&S division ahead of the start of the 2021 renewal cycle.

The new property E&S operation will sit alongside StarStone US’ existing excess casualty, workers compensation, management and professional liability, healthcare liability and marine and energy, specialty commercial property and casualty insurance divisions.

Oliphant’s arrival comes as StarStone US prepares for a relaunch that was reported by The Insurer back in June.

Enstar has rolled its $250mn investment in Starstone US into the overhauled offering, while there is also $600mn of new funding from PE firms Dragoneer Investment Group, SkyKnight Capital and Aquiline Capital.

Oliphant was most recently head of commercial lines and chief underwriting officer for Velocity Risk Underwriters. According to her LinkedIn profile, Oliphant left Velocity in August last year after almost four years with the company.

Velocity is a Nephila-owned and backed MGA focussed on writing catastrophe-exposed property business in both coastal areas and earthquake-threatened regions of the US.

Prior to joining that platform, Oliphant spent eight years with wholesale giant AmWINS serving as both president, special risk underwriters and EVP of AmWINS Brokerage of Alabama.

Oliphant began her insurance industry career in 2001 as a property broker within CRC’s Birmingham, Alabama office where she spent almost seven years.

“Alison is an accomplished insurance executive with a proven track record of building successful property insurance businesses from the ground up,” said Jeff Consolino, StarStone US’ incoming CEO who will join from AFG.

“She has spent her career in property and brings extensive experience across underwriting, distribution, and capital management. There is a clear market need for expansion in commercial property as we observe premium pricing increasing and capacity contracting.”

“Alison will lead a team that will continue to build on our strategic and dynamic vision for StarStone US,” Consolino added.