Willis has launched a London market facility offering up to $50 million in umbrella insurance capacity for US businesses, as nuclear verdicts and shrinking insurer appetite push American casualty buyers to seek excess liability coverage overseas.
The Willis Excess Liability Lineslip, or WELL, provides up to $25 million in lead umbrella coverage with an optional additional $25 million in first excess, structured through a consortium of Lloyd's syndicates under a single policy.
It targets organizations that need larger lead umbrella limits than the US retail market can typically provide.
The facility arrives at a time of considerable strain in the segment. CAC Group reported that umbrella and excess liability coverage posted the steepest rate increases among commercial lines in Q3 2025, rising 10% to 20%. Nuclear verdicts, litigation funding, and tighter scrutiny of attachment points were cited as key drivers.
Those courtroom pressures are not new, but they have intensified. Marathon Strategies research found that 135 corporate lawsuits resulted in a nuclear verdict in 2024, the highest single-year count since 2009 and a 52% increase over 2023. The combined value hit $31.3 billion.
Umbrella insurance is particularly exposed. Woodruff Sawyer notes that because umbrella policies sit as the first major block of coverage in the excess tower, they absorb the initial impact of large claims. Some insurers have responded by slashing limits from $25 million to as low as $5 million.
That pullback has reopened the door for London. Woodruff Sawyer observes that Lloyd's historically priced above US domestic options for standard liability risks, but rising stateside costs have made the market competitive for a much broader pool of policyholders.
A distinguishing feature of WELL is its single-policy structure. One lead underwriter sets terms and coordinates claims across all participating markets, eliminating the inconsistencies that can plague layered excess liability towers. Even minor differences in how separate policies define "occurrence" or "bodily injury" can spark disputes between layers.
The facility also includes disaster response cover, evacuation expenses, and broadened protection for joint ventures. Coverage can be written on a claims-made, occurrence, or occurrence-reported basis.
James Sallada (pictured above), head of casualty for North America at Willis, said securing meaningful umbrella insurance coverage has become "increasingly difficult" for US buyers. The facility, he added, brings together "global capacity to provide organizations with access to higher limits, streamlined placement, and tailored solutions."
WELL was developed by Willis' North America Casualty team in London, part of its direct & facultative global specialty division, and is available to clients placing complex casualty risks requiring additional capacity.
