Bermudian-based Axis Capital Holdings Ltd is to expand its suite of specialty insurance solutions in North America by launching a Canadian Environmental Impairment Liability insurance unit.

The initiative will be led by Ludwig Nagata, who has joined Axis as assistant vice-president, Environmental, Canada.

Axis Canada will provide EIL coverages, specifically targeting contractors’ pollution liability, pollution legal liability and follow-form environmental business.

The company said Mr Nagata has 20 years of environmental underwriting and business leadership experience.

For the past 12 years, he led an environmental underwriting team at Liberty Mutual.

Mr Nagata will be based in Toronto with a national focus, and will report to Andrew Johnson, chief underwriting officer for Casualty and Programmes in Canada.

Mr Johnson said: “Launching environmental impairment liability insurance in Canada speaks to our commitment at Axis to elevate our specialty product suite to our brokers and customers.

“Ludwig has exceptional knowledge of the EIL landscape and deep relationships in the Canadian insurance industry. In leading our new offering, he will be an essential member of our team as we strive to be our broker partners’ number one carrier in this dynamic risk environment.”

Mr Nagata added: “The addition of EIL to our portfolio of insurance products will elevate and diversify Axis Canada’s offering and provides policyholders with the option to further enhance their overall risk management strategy through our suite of complementary products.”

The company said the expansion into EIL in Canada is supported by the existing Environmental team that is well established within AXIS in the US.