XL Insurance, the global insurance underwriting operations of XL Group plc, has announced six new appointments to its North America construction team.“When we first established the Construction business unit just over a year ago, we anticipated that we would attract contractors who would not only rely on us for quality coverage but who also valued industry-focused and high-quality service. And we did,” said Gary Kaplan, president of XL Insurance’s North America construction team.“Our new XL colleagues are additional assurance that we are well-equipped and well-staffed to address our growing client base with continued high level of service. We have not only built a dedicated Construction team, but built it with some of the most knowledgeable, most committed talent in our industry.”The latest additions to XL Insurance’s North America Construction team include Lawrence Lejfer, vice-president and senior underwriter for construction professional liability in New York. Mr Lejfer joins XL from Zurich North America where as an underwriting manager he directed the company’s construction professional liability and builders risk books of business for the Northeast region.Raymond Allen is the new assistant vice-president and senior underwriter for construction professional liability in New York. Mr Allen moves from XL’s environmental unit where he served as a professional and pollution liability underwriter for XL’s construction and environmental services clients.Michael Baxter is the newly-installed vice-president of property in XL’s Toronto office. Mr Baxter is responsible for managing XL Insurance’s Canadian property business, including energy and construction-related property coverages. He joins XL Insurance from Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, where he was vice-president - engineering and construction.Jim Richert has been appointed risk engineer for subcontractor default insurance in New York. Mr Richert joins XL Insurance’s North America construction team from Zurich Services Corporation where he spent the past five years as a senior risk engineering consultant serving professional liability, subcontractor default and casualty insurance clients.Mark Kulas is senior underwriter for construction property in XL’s Chicago office. He joins XL from Zurich North America where he was a senior account executive underwriting inland marine/builder’s risk.Nancy Rummel is the new vice-president and executive underwriter in construction primary casualty and based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Ms Rummel brings 30 years of multi-line underwriting experience to XL. Most recently, she was managing account executive for Zurich North America, helping establish its construction underwriting operation in Indianapolis and managing activities in Kentucky, Indiana and Michigan.