Canopius hires Brit's Paul Dilley as UK underwriting head

Canopius has hired ex Brit UK underwriter Paul Dilley as its new UK retail underwriting head - a newly created position.

Dilley, who will join Canopius on completion of his current obligations, will report to UK retail head Tim Rolfe.

Dilley was previously underwriting director of the London region at Brit Insurance Limited, the UK division of Lloyd’s insurer Brit. He was also a member of Brit’s UK executive team, reporting to UK chief executive Ray Cox.

In his role at Brit, Dilley was responsible for a portfolio of UK property, liability, professional indemnity and motor fleet business worth more than £125m in net written premiums.

In April Brit sold the renewal rights to its UK regional business to QBE, and announced on monday that it was selling the Brit Insurance Limited holding company to run-off buyer RiverStone.

In his new role, Dilley will be responsible for the entire underwriting operations of Canopius’s UK Retail strategic business unit.

This spans the household and specialist property/niche personal lines; personal accident and travel; professional indemnity; and motor accounts written by Canopius, together with oversight of the SME commercial combined business written by Arista Insurance. 

In total, this business unit comprises approximately 30% of Canopius’s current written premiums under management.

Rolfe said of Dilley’s appointment: “Paul is a highly talented underwriting director with a depth of experience managing successful UK SME and personal lines insurance businesses in the Lloyd’s and London market. I am delighted that he has agreed to join Canopius.

“Together with Jim Giordano, our group chief underwriting officer, I look forward to working with Paul to continue the profitable development of our UK retail classes and channels with an increasing emphasis on specialist business.”