New MGA launched as broker demand for specialty liability products rises

Pine Walk Capital, which is part of The Fidelis Partnership, has launched a new international casualty MGA.

Called Sevanta Specialty Liability, the firm will focus on niche international specialty liability, writing business on both a primary and excess basis across a global portfolio.

Jon Hiller, formerly head of international casualty at Sompo International, will lead Sevanta with the help of senior underwriter George Hutton, who was previously a portfolio manager in Sompo’s wholesale and specialty casualty unit.

Together, they bring over 30 years of underwriting experience across Lloyd’s, London and international markets.

Hiller said: “Against a challenging backdrop for the international casualty market, characterised by high frequency and severity of claims and well-publicised reserve deficiencies, we see a huge opportunity to meet rising client and broker demand for specialty liability products.

“Hutton and I are thrilled to be working to launch Sevanta and to be joining the Pine Walk platform on its exceptional growth trajectory.”

Strategy

Founded in 2017, Pine Walk has now established 12 MGAs and provides custom underwriting, operational and regulatory frameworks to support specialist and innovative underwriting offerings.

Sevanta is Pine Walk’s first casualty MGA and aligns with Fidelis’ strategy to selectively expand its niche specialty liability product offering in 2025.

Rinku Patel, group chief operating officer at Fidelis and chief executive at Pine Walk, said: “Sevanta is an important and exciting new entrant to the Pine Walk platform which will further enhance our MGA portfolio while broadening the range of product capabilities offered through the Fidelis platform.

“Responding with leadership, expertise and capacity to solve challenges in the market is at the heart of our approach. We now see the opportunity to deliver this in a number of niches in the casualty space, an area we have historically been deliberately underweight.”