XL Group plc and its subsidiaries have announced that the XL Group of companies has received final approval from the Brazilian re/insurance regulator Superintendencia de Seguros Privados (SUSEP) to set up an insurance operation in the country.XL Seguros Brasil SA in Sao Paulo will offer a range of casualty, property, professional and specialty insurance products.The insurance offerings will expand XL’s capabilities in Brazil and complement its existing reinsurance operations.Expected to start operations in the first quarter of 2012, the insurance office will be led by country manager Juan Bragadin.XL’s CEO Mike McGavick said: “Brazil is at the intersection of global development, connectivity and growth. For XL, Brazil is also an essential geography to advance our dedication, through complex risk solutions, to helping make the world go. We are thrilled to expand our operations in the country. Today’s announcement is the result of dedication and hard work by our project team.”Bruno Laval, XL’s insurance segment’s regional manager for Iberia and Latin America, said: “In 2010, Brazil represented 42 percent of the South America’s non-life insurance premiums, and forecasts show that Brazil’s non-life market could reach $160 Billion by 2030, similar to projections for Western European economies such as Germany.“Local investment programmes, global attention and a diversified spread of trading partners and manufactured products, position the country for continued opportunities.”