QBE Europe expands financial lines offering with launch of W&I product

The new product reflects an increased need for capacity and technical expertise to respond to the demands of customers and increased levels of M&A activity in the region.

The product will offer protection for unknown breaches of target and seller representations and warranties in a purchase agreement.

Toria Lessman will be responsible for the build out of a dedicated W&I team. She has been Senior Vice President for TLI (Transactional Liability Insurance) in QBE’s North American division, responsible for building up the product in the US. The new team will report to Jamie Thompson, Director of Financial Lines.

Jamie Thompson, Director of Financial Lines, QBE Europe, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to support our customers in the M&A market. We are delighted that Toria will be joining QBE Europe’s financial lines team to spearhead the roll out of our new W&I product. She brings considerable specialist expertise to the role, having successfully grown the TLI business for QBE North America.”

QBE is looking to combine its strong global expertise with locally empowered experts and is planning to initially hire three local experts. Initially led out of London, the longer-term plan for W&I is to establish an underwriting team across the existing European footprint utilising QBE’s strength in coverage, execution and claims experience.

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For further information contact:

Sandra Villanueva, Corporate Communications, QBE, 020 7105 5284, Sandra.Villanueva@uk.qbe.com

Alexis Burris, Corporate Communications, QBE, 020 3465 3921, Alexis.Burris@uk.qbe.com

About QBE

QBE helps businesses build resilience through risk management and insurance.

QBE European Operations is part of QBE Insurance Group, one of the world’s leading international insurers and reinsurers and Standard & Poor’s A+ rated. Listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, QBE’s gross written premium for the year ended 31 December 2021 was US$18.5 billion.

As a business insurance specialist, QBE European Operations offers a range of insurance products from the standard suite of property, casualty and motor to the specialist financial lines, marine and energy. All are tailored to the individual needs of our small, medium and large customer base.

We understand the crucial role that effective risk management plays in all organisations and work hard to understand our customers’ businesses so that we offer insurance solutions that meet their needs – from complex programmes to simpler e-trading solutions – and support them in minimising their risk exposures. Our expert risk management and rehabilitation practitioners focus on helping customers improve their risk management so that they may benefit from a reduction in claims frequency and costs.