Marine MGA Amphitrite Underwriting London has appointed Jack Thompson (pictured) as war underwriter, effective immediately, as the specialist insurer builds out its marine war capability amid continued volatility in the shipping sector.
Based in London, Thompson will report to Ben Jones and will support the development of Amphitrite's marine war book at a time when the risks facing the maritime industry are shifting quickly.
Thompson brings more than a decade of underwriting experience to the role. He began his career at Markel, where he trained as an underwriter, before moving to mutual insurance club UK War Risks. There, he built the club's book of business to its largest size to date while establishing relationships across the maritime industry.
Amphitrite CUO Dan Boutcher said the appointment reflected the MGA's plans for the class.
"We are thrilled to welcome Jack to the Amphitrite team," Boutcher said. "His aptitude for business development combined with an established underwriting expertise will support our ongoing commitment to help clients thrive in an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape worldwide. He has a proven track record of navigating heightened war risk exposures and market volatility, which will be invaluable to us."
Thompson joins a market shaped by an expanding risk footprint and a steady stream of incidents at sea. The Joint War Committee, made up of underwriting representatives from Lloyd's syndicates and International Underwriting Association company market members, maintains the Listed Areas designation for hull war, piracy, terrorism and related perils, and its rulings carry direct commercial consequences for shipowners.
In March 2026, the JWC issued circular JWLA-033, extending its Listed Areas around the Arabian Peninsula to include Bahrain, Djibouti, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar, and amending the boundaries covering the Persian and Arabian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Aden and the southern Red Sea. Vessel owners trading into designated areas must notify underwriters of voyages and pay additional premiums, with rating left to individual negotiation between underwriters and brokers.
The LMA's briefing on the situation, dated April 28, 2026, recorded more than 45 attacks on commercial tonnage to date and disputed reports suggesting hull war cover had been withdrawn from the market, stating that cover remains in place through both Lloyd's syndicates and IUA companies, with only a limited review affecting certain liability and charterers' exposures.
Thompson's background at UK War Risks, a mutual club focused specifically on this class, gives him direct exposure to the notification requirements, additional premium negotiations and fast-changing risk assessments that define the current market. That experience is precisely what Amphitrite clients trading into an expanding set of Listed Areas will need from an underwriter tasked with keeping pace with a Joint War Committee that continues to revise its risk boundaries as events on the water evolve.
