ANV consumer products team resigns

Most of ANV’s consumer products underwriting staff have resigned and intend to join rival Canopius, Insurance Times has learned.

Around 10 people from Dutch-headquartered specialty insurer ANV have handed in their notice in recent weeks.

They include active underwriter Chris Biles, deputy head of consumer products David Swan and head of affinity and special risk John McGonigle, who worked at Lloyd’s syndicate 5820.

ANV founder and chief executive Matthew Fairfield said he was “staying positive” in the face of the departures, and would be able to start naming replacements next week.

“One of the guys who’s joining us was the boss of the most senior member of the team that’s leaving. So we’re pretty lucky that that’s happened,” he told Insurance Times.

“I wish them the best, and that’s that,” he said of the departed team.

Fairfield said ANV would not miss any business opportunities as a result of the departures. He highlighted the role of ANV Consumers global sales director Eugenio Molina, who joined from Aon Direct two years ago and underwriting director Gerard Van Loon. He described Molina as “one of the top guys around in the extended warranty business”.

“There will be no fall off in production, nor any kind of assessment of account opportunities,” he added.

Fairfield said ANV wanted to grow its consumer products book, which makes up more than 20% of its gross written premiums.

Its consumer products include motor, appliance and retail warranties, mortgage payment protection and indemnity, home emergency cover and PPI.

A Canopius spokesman declined to comment.