Scheme insurer

Hiscox is a leading specialist insurer with expertise in covering a wide range of specialist personal and business risks, from high value home and contents, to fine art collectors, to offshore oil platforms. Hiscox has offices and customers around the world.

A statement from Hiscox…

Who are Hiscox?

Hiscox, a FTSE 250 company domiciled in Bermuda since 2006, is a leading specialist insurer covering a diverse portfolio of personal and commercial risks. With 100 years of underwriting heritage, we now have more than 700 staff, with offices in 12 countries. In 2005, the group controlled a gross premium income of $2144 million with a pre-tax profit of $136 million.

As a market leader in our chosen areas of business, we cover risks that range from marine, terrorism, aerospace, technology, media and professional indemnity through to high value personal insurance, such as homes and contents, fine art, bloodstock and kidnap and ransom.

We are not a mass producer of insurance policies but focus on key areas of expertise and strength. We specialise in protecting people with unusual and often complicated insurance needs. There are three main underwriting parts of the Group, Hiscox Global Markets, Hiscox UK and Europe, and Hiscox International.

Hiscox Global Markets underwrites mainly internationally traded business in the London market – generally large or complex business which needs to be shared with other insurers or needs the international licences of Lloyd’s

Hiscox International includes offshore operations in Bermuda and Guernsey and Hiscox USA.

Hiscox UK and Hiscox Europe offers a range of specialist insurance for professionals and business customers, as well as high net worth individuals

Our business philosophy

The best people

Any business is only as good as the people it employs. We aim to employ the best people to produce the best insurance solutions and deliver the best service possible.

The best clients

Hiscox has three vital questions for every risk - "Who is the insured? Who is the insured? Who is the insured?” Who we insure is crucially more important than what we insure. Whatever the business, be it a global oil company or a one man professional practice, we are interested in the management and how the business is run. Our belief is that the good insured always pays too much, and the bad insured too little. By seeking out the good insureds and avoiding the bad, we are able to offer wide cover at reasonable premiums.

Innovation

All of our products have been designed with our customers’ specific needs in mind. Creative use of technology has also improved distribution and enabled us to respond even more quickly and effectively to our customers. Unlike many of our competitors, Hiscox really is an organisation that thrives on change.

Claims

When purchasing insurance, clients are buying a 'promise to pay'. Customers only find out whether they have bought the cover they require when there is a claim. Our attitude to claims is one of total support. Our aim is to solve the problem and return the client’s life or business back to normal as soon as possible with efficiency, confidentiality and tact.