Zurich North America has announced the creation of a complex casualty unit to support customers in the upper middle-market segment.

The new unit will utilize the strengths of Zurich’s underwriting and service platforms to provide a broad array of loss-sensitive products to accounts with expected annual losses of up to $3 million, the company said.

Steve Lezaj (pictured above) has been tapped to head the unit as national complex casualty underwriting director. Prior to joining Zurich, Lezaj worked at Travelers, where he most recently served as account executive director. He has also held account executive roles at Royal & Sun Alliance and Hartford Specialty Company. He began his career as an actuarial analyst at Hartford Financial Services Group.

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“There is tremendous growth opportunity in the upper middle-market segment,” said John Diaz, chief operating officer for US middle market at Zurich. “Together, this team of seasoned underwriting professionals will provide the specialized skills needed to manage and expand our market share in this segment, and by empowering local underwriters, it will be easier for our brokers and customers to conduct business with Zurich.”