Starr has opened a branch office in Milan, giving clients and brokers in Italy a dedicated local point of contact as it continues to expand across Europe.
The branch will be led by Reto Arrigoni (pictured) as branch manager for Italy, alongside his existing role as head of casualty for continental Europe. Starr has written Italian business for several years through its wider European network, and the new office will initially support those existing activities.
“Establishing a dedicated branch allows us to further foster our relationship with our clients, by providing a local point of contact and enhancing our ability to support their evolving needs,” said Arrigoni.
Juan Carro Arbelo, Starr’s regional manager for Europe, said the aim was to build a strong local team. He described the branch as a carefully considered investment that builds on years of engagement with the Italian insurance market.
Starr said the office would serve as a platform for growth across multiple lines of business, drawing on the group’s European underwriting operations alongside an expanding local team.
Italy’s insurance market has been growing steadily. Total premiums written by insurers operating in Italy rose 7.8% to €182 billion in 2025, according to Italian insurance association ANIA, with non-life up 6.5%. Branches of insurers from other European countries, the model Starr is using, wrote €7.5 billion of non-life premiums, up 5.9%.
Growth is increasingly coming from outside motor. According to ANIA data cited by AM Best, non-motor premiums rose 7.1% in 2025, outpacing motor. Italy’s requirement for businesses to buy natural catastrophe cover, which took effect in 2025, has added further demand for property and casualty protection.
Starr is one of several specialty insurers building a local presence in continental Europe this autumn. Arch Insurance EU recently appointed a head of cyber for Italy, based in Milan. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance has entered Poland with a new country manager for Central and Eastern Europe.
The pattern reflects a shift from serving continental markets remotely, often from London or regional hubs, towards local teams with decision-making authority closer to brokers and clients.
For London and international brokers placing Italian risks, Starr’s Milan office adds a local underwriting contact, which should help with local policy issuance, regulatory requirements and claims on multinational programmes.
Italy’s market is dominated by agents, but brokers have a much stronger position in commercial and specialty lines. That’s where carriers like Starr compete. Another international carrier with local presence adds capacity and competition for brokers in Italy, particularly in casualty, given Arrigoni’s background.
