Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance has appointed Andrew Hopper as UK head of financial institutions, with Chris Nixon promoted to UK underwriting manager for executive and professional lines.

Tokio Marine HCC (TMHCC) has expanded its UK professional risks team with the appointments of Dan Browne as professional indemnity (PI) underwriter and Chloe Pitchford as PI development underwriter.

Price Forbes Singapore has continued the build-out of its professional risks offering with the hire of Jennifer Gray as director of professional risks and healthcare.

Axa XL has appointed company veteran Michelle Bailey to head of professional, Bermuda, a newly created role that gives her oversight of the carrier’s professional lines underwriting team on the island.

London wholesaler Miller has bolstered its solicitors’ professional indemnity (PI) team with a trio of appointments.

Tech-enabled E&S MGA Ledgebrook has brought in Carolyn Pearce as architects and engineers (A&E) practice leader and launched a new offering in the segment with capacity from hybrid fronting carrier Obsidian.

Amwins has hired CRC professional lines producer Jason White – who is understood to have overseen a book worth around $150mn in premium – after he exited the wholesaler following more than 30 years with the firm and its predecessors,

Japanese insurer Sompo has unveiled a technology insurance package for middle market clients in the UK, encompassing property, casualty, professional indemnity (PI) and cyber coverages.

BMS has bolstered its financial and professional lines (finpro) team with a trio of hires from Howden, which include Tom Spraggs as director and head of UK financial institutions.

CRC Group has recruited former Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) executive Matthew Azzara as a professional lines broker within the wholesaler’s Los Angeles office.

This year’s Gracechurch London’s Leading Underwriter Ranking has seen a changing of the guard at the top of both the cyber and casualty polls.

Allied World’s $1.8bn premium financial and professional lines quota share treaty has firm ordered at a 34.5 percent ceding commission, a 2 point increase from the prior year, although it is currently unclear if the planned cession will be filled out, The Insurer can reveal.

US cyber insurance premiums grew 11 percent in 2019 while ransomware attacks meant the loss ratio for this line worsened by 10 percentage points, an Aon analysis has revealed.

Axa XL will no longer write London Market management liability (ML) and financial institutions (FI) business over profitability concerns, but has reaffirmed its commitment to cyber, professional indemnity and M&A insurance business in EC3.

Healthcare rate changes will level off in the third or fourth quarter as a result of new capacity and competition, while the D&O market has seen some degree of rate flattening and cyber premiums are likely to continue rising well into next year, according to wholesale giant Amwins.