Qualifying insurers 2011/2012
Client Protection
The Solicitors Regulation Authority does not regulate, vet or approve insurers. In order to be eligible to be a Qualifying Insurer an insurer must be an "authorised insurer" as defined by section 87(1A) of the Solicitors Act 1974. "Authorised insurers" are regulated by the Financial Services Authority. (For more information, see appendix What does it mean to be a Qualifying Insurer?)
As of 11 January 2012, the following insurers are Qualifying Insurers for the purposes of the SRA Indemnity Insurance Rules 2011. If you have any queries, please telephone 01527 504487.
Allianz Global Corporate & Speciality AG
[via broker only]
Allianz House
60 Gracechurch Street
London
EC3V 0HR
Contact name: David Cable
Telephone: 0203 451 3015
Email: david.cable@allianz.com
Alpha Insurance A/S
[via broker only]
Harbour House I
Sundkrogsgade 21
DK 2100 Copenhagen
Denmark
Contact name: Paul Lawrence
Telephone: 020 7264 1260
Fax number: 020 7702 2894
Email: enquiries@irsllp.co.uk
Website: www.irsllp.co.uk
Aviva Insurance UK Limited
[via broker only]
Dixon House
Lloyds Avenue
London
EC3N 3DH
Contact name: Trevor Meadowcroft
Telephone: 0207 157 2452
Balva Insurance Company AAS (via APRO Management Limited)
[via broker only]
Third Floor
Dukes House
32-38 Dukes Place
London
EC3A 7LP
Contact name: Wayne Redgrave
Telephone: 020 3150 1100
Fax number: 020 3150 0101
Email: wayneredgrave@apromanagement.com
Website: www.apromanagement.com
Barbican Syndicate 1955 - Libra
[via broker only]
Regis House
45 King William Street
London
EC4R 9AS
Contact name: Ed Pickard
Telephone: 0207 407 3588
Email: epickard@triley.co.uk
Chartis Insurance UK Limited
The Chartis Building
58 Fenchurch Street
London
EC3M 4AB
Contact name: Stephen Bonnington
Telephone: 0207 954 8853
Email: steve.bonnington@chartisinsurance.com
Chubb Insurance Company of Europe SE
[via broker only]
106 Fenchurch Street
London
EC3M 5NB
Contact name: Chris Pavlou
Telephone: 0207 956 5313
Enterprise Insurance Company Plc
[via broker only]
R 22 - 24 Ragged Staff Wharf
Queensway Quay
Gibraltar
Contact name: Kieran Higgins
Telephone: 0845 163 4820
Fax number: 0845 163 4840
Email: quotes@solicitorspi.com
Website: www.solicitorspi.com
European Risk Insurance Company (via APRO Management Limited)
[via broker only]
Dukes House
32-38 Dukes Place
London
EC3A 7LP
Contact name: Wayne Redgrave
Telephone: 020 3150 1100
Fax number: 020 3150 0101
Email: wayneredgrave@apromanagement.com
Website: www.apromanagement.com
First Title Insurance Plc
International Press Centre
76 Shoe Lane
London
EC4A 3JB
Contact name: Dianne Buckingham
Telephone: 0121 233 6344
Email: dianne.buckingham@inkinsurance.co.uk
International Insurance Company of Hannover Limited
[via broker only]
7th Floor
10 Fenchurch Street
London
EC3M 3BE
Contact name: Graham Amato
Telephone: 020 7015 4000
Website: www.inter-hannover.com
Lemma Europe Insurance Company Limited
PO Box 1267
85 Main Street
Gibraltar
Contact name: Steven Blair
Telephone: 00 44 207 220 7750
Fax number: 00 44 207 220 7524
Email: sb@lemma-insurance.eu
Website: www.lemma-insurance.eu
Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe Limited
[via broker only]
3rd Floor
2 Minster Court
Mincing Lane
London
EC3R 7YE
Contact name: Melanie O'Neill
Telephone: 020 7860 6231
Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe Limited (via Legal & Professional Insurance)
Lower Ground Floor
2 Minster Court
Mincing Lane
London
EC3R 7YE
Contact name: George Raubenheimer
Telephone: 020 7671 6800
Email: enquiries@lpinsure.co.uk
Website: www.lpinsure.co.uk
Pembroke Syndicate 4000
[via broker only]
2nd Floor South
3 Minster Court
Mincing Lane
London
EC3R 7DD
Contact name: John Hulbert-Powell
Telephone: 0207 337 4400
QBE Insurance (Europe) Limited
[via broker only]
Plantation Place
30 Fenchurch Street
London
EC3M 3BD
Contact name: Mark Casady
Telephone: 0207 105 4166
Fax number: 0207 105 4014
Email: mark.casady@uk.qbe.com
Website: www.qbeeurope.com
QBE Syndicate 386
[via broker only]
Plantation Place
30 Fenchurch Street
London
EC3M 3BD
Contact name: Mark Casady
Telephone: 0207 105 4166
Fax number: 0207 105 4017
Email: mark.casady@uk.qbe.com
Website: www.qbeeurope.com
RSA Insurance
[via broker only]
Leadenhall Court
1 Leadenhall Street
London
EC3V 1PP
Contact name: Steve Abrahams
Telephone: 020 7337 5518
Website: www.rsagroup.com
Travelers Insurance Company Limited
Exchequer Court
33 St Mary Axe
London
EC3A 8AG
Contact name: John Kunzler
Telephone: 0203 207 6626
Email: solicitors@travelers.com
Website: www.travelers.co.uk/solicitors
W R Berkley Insurance (Europe)
2nd Floor
40 Lime Street
London
EC3M 7AW
Contact name: Peter Glanfield
Telephone: 0207 280 9000
Fax number: 0207 280 9090
XL Insurance Company Limited
70 Gracechurch Street
London
EC3V 0XL
Contact name: Emma Rickett
Telephone: 0207 933 7000
Fax number: 0207 469 1000
Email: emma.rickett@xlgroup.com
Website: www.xlinsurance.com
Zurich
London Underwriting Centre
3 Minster Court
Mincing Lane
London
EC3R 7DD
Contact name: Jenny Screech
Telephone: 0845 606 3322
Fax number: 0845 600 4036
Email: jenny.screech@uk.zurich.com
Website: www.zurich.co.uk/commercial
Appendix
What does it mean to be a Qualifying Insurer?
All insurers who are an "authorised insurer" to conduct business in the UK can become a qualifying insurer provided they sign a Qualifying Insurer's Agreement under which they agree to offer policies which meet set Minimum Terms and Conditions and agree to participate in an assigned risks pool. The Financial Services Authority regulates authorised insurers.
Section 37 of the Solicitors Act 1974 allows the SRA to make indemnity rules which require solicitors or any specified class of solicitors to take out and maintain insurance with "authorised insurers".
| In the Solicitors Act, "authorised insurer" means |
| (a) a person who has permission under Part IV of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 to effect or carry out contracts of insurance of a relevant class; |
An FSA-authorised insurance company |
| (b) a person who carries on an insurance market activity, within the meaning of section 316(3) of that Act; |
A Lloyd's syndicate |
| (c) an EEA Firm of the kind mentioned in paragraph 5(d) of Schedule 3 to that Act, which has permission under paragraph 15 of that Schedule (as a result of qualifying for authorisation under paragraph 12 of that Schedule) to effect or carry out contracts of insurance of a relevant class; or |
An insurance company authorised by the relevant regulator in another member state of the European Economic Area (ie, the European Union plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein), which is exercising its passporting rights under EU insurance directives to carry on insurance business in the UK |
| (d) a person who does not fall within paragraph (a), (b) or (c) and who may lawfully effect or carry out contracts of insurance of a relevant class in a member state other than the United Kingdom. |
An insurance company exercising passporting rights under the Treaty of Rome to carry on business in the UK (unusual). |
The term "relevant class" has the meaning set out in section 87(1B) of the Solicitors Act. This definition must be read with section 22 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and any relevant order under that section and Schedule 2 to that Act.