Brussels: 18 January 2024 -European boutique Managing General Agent (MGA), Alta Signa Europe B.V. (“Alta Signa”), announces today the launch of a new European Marine underwriting business.
The new unit will focus on core marine lines of business, backed by Alta Signa’s leading panel of insurance partners - Axeria IARD, SiriusPoint and Sompo International.
The team brings a wealth of specialist insurance expertise and is headed up by Francesco Dubbioso, Head of Technical Underwriting for Marine, based in Genoa, Italy. Francesco, who joined Alta Signa in September, has a broad range of insurance leadership experience in a career spanning over 20 years, most recently as CEO of Mediterranea Underwriting. He will be supported by:
- Danilo Fiore, Acting Head of Technical Underwriting for Hull and Yachts. Before joining Alta Signa effective 18 December, Danilo was a Senior Marine Hull Underwriter with Swiss Re Corporate Solutions for over 10 years and prior to this, he held a similar position with Assicurazioni Generali.
- Barbara Vida recently joined the team as a Senior Cargo Underwriter and brings a wealth of international cargo insurance experience having worked previously for Mediterranea Underwriting, Liberty and XL.
- Marie Lepelletier, a highly qualified Marine insurance law practitioner, is Group Claims Manager having previously been with Generali Global Corporate & Commercial.
- Simona Ballestrero is Marine Technical Accounting and Operations Manager and she joined Alta Signa from Mediterranea Underwriting.
Gerard Van Loon, Chief Executive Officer, commented: “The arrival of this brilliant new Marine underwriting team adds a new strategic arrow to the Alta Signa bow and I am thrilled they decided to join our MGA family. With the new Marine line of business, we aim to become even more meaningful to our distribution partners by broadening our portfolio beyond the Financial, Professional and Cyber Lines of business. We welcome the new team to Alta Signa and I know that we will benefit enormously from their broad range of highly relevant market experience and expertise.”
Francesco Dubbioso, Head of Technical Underwriting for Marine and Branch Manager for Italy, said: “I am delighted to be launching our new Marine underwriting business and am extremely proud of the quality of the team we were able to attract. The European Marine market is expected to present niche growth opportunities in 2024 and beyond for those MGAs who are agile enough to address the unique challenges in this sector. In an environment where differentiation and relevance are key, I am extremely excited by the opportunities this presents for nimble businesses such as the one we have now assembled at Alta Signa. I can't wait to start this new venture with a team of highly motivated experts.”
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About Alta Signa
Alta Signa is an established boutique Managing General Agent dedicated to the Continental European Specialty Insurance market, where we aim to be the preferred trading partner of regional, national and pan-European insurance brokers servicing commercial and corporate clients locally.
Our ambition is to build a unique trading platform for specialty insurance risks that will be user-friendly and cost-efficient and that will link the Continental European brokers and their clients with a panel of leading insurance risk carriers that have no direct access to European retail business and/or lack the specific product expertise.
An approved Lloyd’s Europe Coverholder, Alta Signa Europe BV/SRL is a company authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Market Authority (Belgium) to act as a mandated underwriter and reinsurance intermediary. Alta Signa Europe BV/SRL is registered in Belgium.
About Axeria IARD
Axeria is a specialist provider of property and casualty insurance based in Lyon, France. The company engages in providing various custom products to cover all risks of its personal and corporate clients.
Find out more at: https://axeria.fr/en/
About SiriusPoint
SiriusPoint is a global underwriter of insurance and reinsurance providing solutions to clients and brokers around the world. Bermuda-headquartered with offices in New York, London, Stockholm and other locations, we are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (SPNT). We have licences to write Property & Casualty and Accident & Health insurance and reinsurance globally. Our offering and distribution capabilities are strengthened by a portfolio of strategic partnerships with Managing General Agents and Program Administrators within our Insurance & Services segment. With over $3.0 billion total capital, SiriusPoint’s operating companies have a financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) from AM Best, S&P and Fitch.
For more information, please visit www.siriuspt.com.
About Sompo International
“Sompo International” refers to Sompo International Holdings Ltd., a Bermuda-based holding company, together with its consolidated subsidiaries. Through its operating subsidiaries, Sompo International is a leading global provider of commercial and consumer property and casualty (re)insurance. Sompo International Holdings Ltd. is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Sompo Holdings, Inc. (“Sompo Holdings”). With more than 9000 employees at Sompo International, 75,000 employees total worldwide, entities in over 46 countries and over USD 35 billion in Gross Written Premiums, Sompo Holdings is one of the leading property and casualty insurance groups in the world. Sompo Holdings maintains excellent financial strength as evidenced by the ratings of A+ (Superior) from A.M. Best (XV size category) and A+ (Strong) from Standard and Poor’s on its principal operating subsidiaries.
For more information about Sompo International, please visit https://www.sompo-intl.com/.