Behind the line with Specialty Casualty
Hiscox’s General Liability team has a new name: Specialty Casualty. It’s a name that captures the specialist nature of the growing team which over the last year has expanded into adjacent markets, evolved its appetite, embraced innovation and added a range of new liability products: structured auto solutions; international construction; sexual abuse and molestation; and facultative reinsurance.
Together with its existing lines of business, the Specialty Casualty team now offers a wide range of liability products supported by some of the most experienced underwriting, pricing, wordings and claims experts in the London insurance market. With a forward-looking ambitious mindset, the team is continuing to target expansion and the development of new risk solutions for its liability clients.
Here, the Specialty Casualty team share more about their plans for the year, the opportunities ahead, developing new products and how they approach the risk challenges faced by clients in today’s challenging liability environment.
Lara Frankovic – Line Underwriter
What exciting plans do you have for Specialty Casualty in 2026 and how will they shape the future of the portfolio and our broker relationships?
I’m excited about the momentum we’re building within Specialty Casualty as we head through 2026. Over the past year we’ve grown the portfolio in all the right areas such as expanding into structured auto solutions, Hiscox Shield (sexual molestation liability cover), international construction and facultative reinsurance, while continuing to deliver the depth of expertise in the products our brokers already knew us for in umbrella liability, rail and US construction.
What inspires me is how these developments translate into value for brokers and clients. Our Hiscox Shield capability lets us respond thoughtfully to some of the most sensitive and increasingly important liability exposures, while structured auto solutions and facultative reinsurance products give brokers smarter, more flexible ways to solve their clients’ complex risk challenges.
Bringing all of these new and already existing products together gives us a compelling Specialty Casualty offering that is broader, more adaptable and genuinely aligned to what clients need in a fast‑evolving liability landscape. For brokers, it means more choice and more opportunities to deliver bespoke solutions. And for clients, it means having the confidence that we’re equipped to support them no matter how their risk challenges change.
That’s why 2026 feels so exciting: we’re expanding our capabilities, strengthening our partnerships and staying true to the specialist underwriting that has long defined us. I’m proud of what we’re building and what we can deliver for our brokers and clients.
Harriet Turner – Senior Underwriter
What makes our SML offering, Hiscox Shield, stand out, and how do you keep pushing boundaries to protect society’s most vulnerable?
Hiscox Shield deals with some of the toughest and most sensitive situations an organisation can face, so for me it’s important that the product reflects those challenges. What really sets it apart is how holistic it is – it’s not just about transferring risk, it’s about helping organisations build safer cultures and giving people the support they need if something does go wrong.
What I feel strongly about is making sure survivors aren’t left without help at a critical moment. Quick access to counselling, expert crisis support and clear guidance can make an enormous difference, and that’s something I’m proud our offering delivers. We also work closely with insureds to help them spot risks earlier and make practical improvements, not just tick compliance boxes.
For me, Shield represents a moral responsibility as much as an insurance product. We’re here to help organisations protect the people who rely on them most, and I take that part of the job very seriously.
Matthew Hunt – Senior Underwriter
What opportunities are you most excited about as you continue building our US construction portfolio?
I'm excited about the sheer scope of construction taking place in the US right now. Our risk submission count is at an all-time high and there is no sign of any slowdown which is great news for us as a leading US construction liability market.
Another huge opportunity is the variety of projects that we see. Our appetite is broad and I know brokers and clients alike value our ability to consider a wide range of contracts. We'll write the standard risks through to the very complex, which means we see a real spread from data centres to stadia, airports to roads and bridges, and offices to railways – the list is extensive and growing.
It's also great to have been joined by some new colleagues working alongside me on the US construction portfolio, bringing in additional expertise that further strengthens our offering in a growing market.
Monica Petrovic – Underwriter
With a background in exposure management and US casualty, how do you spot emerging trends before they hit the market?
It starts with recognising how small shifts and patterns in data can signal much larger changes ahead. Exposure management has taught me to analyse patterns closely and look beyond the immediate industry, drawing from legal, regulatory, political and environmental shifts that often move faster than the market. This wider lens is essential in US casualty, where early indicators such as rising nuclear jury verdicts, escalating tort costs and accelerating social inflation, reshape the liability landscape long before they appear in claims loss experience.
I also keep a close watch on news tied to scientific research studies, developing mass‑tort themes and other emerging areas of research interest that may point to future concerns. Ultimately, it’s the combination of detailed data analysis, external trend monitoring and the ability to step back and bring together insights from multiple sources that helps identify where tomorrow’s liability risks may come from.
Abby Walters – Senior Underwriter
Your experience spans political violence and catastrophic injury claims. How has that shaped the way you approach underwriting today?
We’ve seen a rapid shift in the changing nature of liability risk in recent years and having a background in political violence and catastrophic injury claims has given me valuable experience in understanding how issues like spiralling jury verdicts, geopolitics and the changing regulatory landscape can impact the risks we underwrite.
It’s important as an underwriter to have all the information we can get for a particular risk, but also to understand from each insured how they approach risk management in their business and the proactive measures they are taking to mitigate their risk. Ultimately, we want to work as a constructive partner with clients and provide them with the cover they need to manage their risks – and their businesses – successfully.
Callum Wallace – Senior Underwriter
What opportunities are you most excited about within UK and international construction, and how does your broking background guide the way you approach complex risks and assess new opportunities?
Even with softer insurance market conditions, there are some great opportunities in UK and international construction, especially with brokers who really specialise in this space. I enjoy working with them because the conversations tend to be very technical and collaborative. Writing this business helps us diversify the portfolio too, which is something I’m genuinely excited about.
Although my broking days feel like a lifetime ago, that experience still shapes how I think. I remember how challenging it could be to place unusual or time‑sensitive risks, and that perspective helps me stay pragmatic and solution‑focused. It taught me the value of being clear, commercial and honest about what’s possible, which I try to bring into my underwriting today.
Bradley Coaker – Underwriter
What’s the biggest shift you’ve noticed moving from UK casualty to US general liability, and how has it changed your thinking?
The biggest shift for me has been how much more critical line size management becomes in the context of a very different legal landscape. In the US, the potential for punitive damages and jury awards can introduce a level of volatility that is not always rational or easy to predict, which has sharpened my focus on how we size our participation, ensure rating adequacy and the development of a more granular understanding of each risk before committing capacity.
A real positive of moving into the US casualty market has been the access and opportunities we get to meet insureds directly, often sitting down not just with risk managers but also with CFOs, CEOs and General Counsel. Those conversations add insight that is difficult to replicate from a submission alone, allowing us to test assumptions, ask more detailed questions, understand how the business operates day-to-day and gain clarity around decision making, controls and overall risk culture.
Amardeep Takhar – Underwriter
What excites you most about opportunities within structured auto solutions (tailored deals over multiple years that use alternative risk transfer to offer organisations with an alternative to more traditional insurance cover)?
Structured auto solutions had a great year in 2025 showing strong growth, and what excites me is how quickly the space is maturing. Clients are becoming more confident with these solutions, which means the conversations we’re having are more strategic and more creative than ever.
Looking ahead, I think we can play an even bigger role in helping clients manage the volatility that still exists in US auto. There’s real opportunity to offer solutions that go beyond traditional structures, and that’s something I’m passionate about exploring. There’s also a lot of talent coming into this area of the market, and the energy around innovation is genuinely motivating. I think 2026 will be a defining year for structured auto solutions. I’m excited to help shape what that looks like.