Castel targets US professional lines market with ex-AIG and Brit hires

Managing general agent (MGA) formation platform  Castel Underwriting Agencies has launched a new underwriting cell, North American Professional Liability (NAPL), to focus on professional service firms’ business in the US.

NAPL has secured capacity with a global A+ rated carrier and has commenced writing business immediately.

The cell writes both primary and excess layer coverage for larger risk managed clients including law firms, accountants, architects and engineers and construction risks.

NAPL is jointly led by Patrick Comerford and Clive Moore, both former directors and underwriters of Pioneer North America PL, and experienced underwriters in the Global Pl market.

Previously, Comerford led AIG and Lexington’s London market US PL team for nearly 20 years. Moore was with Brit Insurance in their Lloyd’s US Pl team.

Mark Birrell (pictured), chief executive of Castel, said: “Patrick and Clive are two of the best-known underwriters in this market. Working with them to help leverage their significant knowledge and experience demonstrates not only our appetite to extend Castel’s portfolio but also our ability to support a wide breadth of niche and specialty underwriting talent to delivery profitable business.”

Comerford added: “ Castel provides us with a robust operating platform from which to build NAPL’s offering to brokers. The platform combined with committed capacity and a world-class claims operation will enable us to maximise the opportunities we see from the changing and hardening US professional lines marketplace.”

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