Westfield Specialty International plans to broaden its operations beyond Lloyd’s and enter the company market, marking the next phase of its European build-out.
Subject to regulatory approval, the firm will establish a Luxembourg-based subsidiary that will underwrite risks on company paper alongside its existing capacity through Syndicate 1200 at Lloyd’s.
The new Luxembourg platform is expected to begin writing business from April. Westfield Specialty said it intends to appoint a CEO to lead the company market operation in the coming months, subject to regulatory processes.
The Luxembourg entity will provide Westfield Specialty with a company market platform in the EU, complementing its Lloyd’s-based distribution and allowing it to offer clients and brokers alternative paper where required.
The structure is intended to support a broader range of risks and placements that benefit from an EU-domiciled carrier while preserving access to Lloyd’s for international specialty business.
The planned expansion follows a period of growth for Westfield Specialty, which reported GWP of US$1.4 billion for the first nine months of 2025, with a combined ratio of 89.9% and underwriting income of US$92 million.
The group has attributed this performance in part to a diversified specialty portfolio and a strategy of building its international presence, particularly in London, and the Luxembourg company is intended to add another route to market alongside the Lloyd’s platform.
Jack Kuhn, president of Westfield Specialty, said the initiative aligns with the firm’s growth priorities. “Westfield Specialty’s strategic focus is on long-term, sustainable growth, aided by the build-out of our operation in European markets,” he said.
He added that, as a mutual-owned specialty insurer, the business is able to “take a multi-year view on growth and invest for the long term in building a successful addition to our specialty underwriting capacity.”
Alongside its underwriting expansion, Westfield Specialty International has been adjusting its leadership and claims structure, recently appointing Melanie Gilbert as head of third-party claims.
