Bermuda-based XL Group plc is about to step up and be a lead excess casualty market in the US.The company’s Excess Casualty North American Umbrella team has launched a new umbrella policy form.Lorraine Seib, President of XL’s Excess Casualty group said while XL is well-known for its Bermuda beginnings as an excess liability provider, they’re working to expand in the US. “Our onshore reputation for quality excess casualty capacity has grown since the inception of our US operations in 2001,” she said. “So has our appetite on lead umbrella opportunities.”The enhanced “A/B Umbrella” form offers two insuring agreements in one policy. Insuring Agreement A follows the terms of underlying primary insurance which eliminates the potential for coverage gaps and need for manuscript endorsements while Insuring Agreement B provides traditional stand alone umbrella on its own terms over a Self Insured Retention (SIR).Another feature of the new umbrella policy is that under Insuring Agreement A, the general aggregate limit automatically applies in the same manner as aggregate limits in the primary, other than products-completed operations aggregate. Disaster response coverage is also included — a frequent coverage request by endorsement — as Insuring Agreement C in the new umbrella form.Ms Seib says the company’s global platform, significant limits and this new enhanced umbrella form put XL in a strong position to help US companies better protect their assets. “Umbrella insurance is a major line of defence in the event of catastrophic claims or lawsuits and companies need to make sure they are protected by a well-crafted umbrella policy from a carrier equipped to handle it.”XL’s umbrella coverage is available on an occurrence basis with limits up to $25 million in the US. Coverage is provided by XL Specialty Insurance Co or on a surplus lines basis from XL Group’s Indian Harbor Insurance Co.