Bermudian-based insurer and reinsurer Lancashire Holdings Ltd has expanded its international footprint with the opening for business of Lancashire Insurance US.

The company said LUS gives the group the ability to write business that is within its appetite but that it previously did not have access to, and is fully complementary to Lancashire’s existing operations.

LUS operates under a delegated underwriting arrangement with Lancashire’s UK platform and is focused on the US excess and surplus market, with initial products being energy casualty and property.

Group chief executive officer Alex Maloney said: “This is a significant milestone in the strategic development of Lancashire, giving us access to business that we could not write before through new distribution channels and with new clients.

“We are pleased to welcome the new US team to the Lancashire group and look forward to working with them.”

Huw Jones, previously group head of Specialty Insurance, is CEO of LUS.

Chris Curtin is head of US Property and joined LUS in September 2023. The company said he has more than 25 years of market experience in brokerage and underwriting.

Prior to joining Lancashire, Mr Curtin was head of US Property at Everest Insurance and has also held senior property roles at AIG and as a property broker with Aon & Integro Insurance Brokers.

Brian Quinn is senior vice-president, Energy Casualty, and joined LUS in June 2023. Previously, he was senior underwriter at Axa XL on the North America Energy Casualty team, and also held underwriting roles at XL Catlin and Energi Insurance, a Massachusetts-based specialty managing general agency.

Mr Jones said: “We are excited to have launched LUS and we have built a really strong team of underwriters and within our support functions.

“We look forward to connecting with our new trading partners and offering the underwriting expertise and excellent client service that Lancashire is renowned for.”

The company said Lancashire Insurance US will conduct insurance commerce under Lancashire Insurance (US) LLC doing business as Lancashire Insurance Specialty Services across the country.