W. R. Berkley Insurance (Europe), Limited (W. R. Berkley Europe) today announced that it has submitted a final application to the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA) to establish a branch office in Australia. W. R. Berkley Europe's Australian branch will be headquartered in Sydney, Australia and will conduct business under the name W. R. Berkley Insurance Australia. W. R. Berkley Insurance Australia will focus principally on writing casualty insurance and construction and engineering insurance upon receiving approval from APRA.
W. R. Berkley Europe has been writing Australian business since 2003. W. R. Berkley Insurance Australia aims to further support this business and to develop new relationships with Australian brokers. W. R. Berkley Insurance Australia's casualty lines will be primarily professional indemnity and directors and officers insurance, but it will also have the capability to provide public/products liability and personal accident and travel insurance. W. R. Berkley Insurance Australia's construction and engineering insurance products will include contractors all risks, erection all risks, computer and electronics all risks, contractors plant and equipment, and machinery breakdown insurance. W. R. Berkley Insurance Australia's office will open on 2 October 2007 and will commence underwriting when the APRA license is received.
Christian Garling has been named the branch manager of W. R. Berkley Insurance Australia. Mr. Garling, previously based in W. R. Berkley Europe's London offices with responsibility for W. R. Berkley Europe's Australian business, has over 14 years of experience in the insurance industry. He is a qualified lawyer and practised as a solicitor, as well as having underwritten for a Lloyd's syndicate in London.
For more information about W. R. Berkley Insurance Australia, please contact Christian Garling at cgarling@wrberkley.com.
