Who we are

After 9/11, the global economy faced deep uncertainty. Aviation, Property, financial services and other sectors were navigating heightened risk. It created demand for new capacity and more innovative insurance solutions.

AXIS was formed in November 2001 and Rory joined in January 2002, working with the founding CEO of AXIS John Charman. The pace was relentless, but it was a memorable and exciting time.

A small team of underwriters drove that momentum, working across London and Bermuda. The team met brokers and customers in London and spent the midweek days in Bermuda reviewing submissions and binding business. That rhythm kept them close to brokers and customers alike, building relationships that would endure through market cycles. "Our capacity was valued across multiple product lines, but we made the biggest impact where the demand was most acute, in Terrorism and Aviation."

One of the core pillars of our claims proposition is ‘championing your needs’ and this was never clearer than in one particularly high-stakes claim.

A substantial professional indemnity claim was brought against an AXIS insured, with potential losses running over $80 million, alongside the risk of lasting reputational damage. From the start, it was clear this would not be straightforward. The claimant was exceptionally determined and prepared to take the case all the way.

For Stuart Worman, PI Claims Manager, who had been at AXIS for nearly a decade at the time, the scale of the claim stood out immediately. Even though these are often situations where negotiation finds a middle ground, this case felt different.

The gap between both sides couldn’t have been further apart. With each step closer to trial, the pressure became more real.

Deciding to go to trial is never easy, but AXIS provided full support to its Insured, confident that holding firm was the right course for their position, reputation and long-term interests.

“We didn’t give in to a settlement that didn’t reflect the merits of the case,” Stuart reflects.