Hiscox

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Hiscox Limited
Type Public (LSE: HSX)
Founded 1946
Headquarters Hamilton, Bermuda
Key people Robert Hiscox (Chairman of the board), Bronek Masojada (CEO)
Industry Insurance
Products Specialty property, casualty, kidnap and ransom, marine, aerospace, hacker and political risk insurance
Revenue £1.083 billion (2007)[1]
Operating income ▲ £245.3 million (2007)[1]
Profit ▲ £191.2 million (2007)[1]
Employees 850 (2007)[1]
Website www.hiscox.com
Hiscox is an underwriter at the Lloyd's of London insurance market.
Hiscox is an underwriter at the Lloyd's of London insurance market.

Hiscox Ltd. (LSE: HSX) is a Bermuda-incorporated insurance provider, listed on the London Stock Exchange. An underwriter at Lloyd's of London, the company largely specialises in niche areas of the market, offering property and casualty insurance aimed at high net worth individuals and companies, as well as cover against such risks as hacking, kidnapping and satellite damage. The firm is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.

Contents

[edit] History

The roots of the company lie with the Roberts agency, which commenced underwriting marine insurance at the Lloyd's market in 1901.[2] In 1946 Ralph Hiscox, who had joined the agency as an underwriter of non-marine insurance eight years earlier, formed the Roberts & Hiscox partnership for the purposes of managing syndicates at Lloyd's.[2] Hiscox was elected chairman of Lloyd's in 1967,[3] the same year his son Robert joined the group's Syndicate 33 as an underwriter of fine art and personal accident insurance.[2] Robert Hiscox subsequently took over as head of the partnership in 1970 after the death of his father, and set about growing the size of the business.[4]

In 1987 the firm reorganised - a holding company, Hiscox Holdings Ltd, was established for the group, which comprised the subsidiaries Hiscox Syndicates (for managing syndicates) and Roberts & Hiscox (for introducing and advising members of the Lloyd's market).[2] Expansion beyond the London market followed in 1989 with the formation of a third subsidiary, Hiscox Underwriting, specifically for this purpose.[2]

Roberts & Hiscox and related interests were demerged in 1994, leaving the company as merely an underwriter and manager of syndicates.[2] Having previously listed on the Alternative Investment Market, Hiscox plc transferred to the main market of the London Stock Exchange in July 1997.[5] Following the purchase of a 28% stake in the company by Chubb Corporation in 1998,[6] the company fought to remain independent, successfully rebuffing two takeover offers by 2001.[7] Chubb subsequently sold off its interest in Hiscox in 2004.[8]

In 2006, Hiscox plc moved its country of domicile from the United Kingdom to Bermuda, adopting the new name Hiscox Ltd.[9]

[edit] Products

The company sells both personal and commercial insurance cover in a range of areas: for individuals, Hiscox provides home and contents insurance for "higher value" houses, as well as classic car, fine art, bloodstock, kidnap and ransom and personal accident cover.[10] For companies, cover types include property, marine, aerospace, hacker and political risk insurance as well as reinsurance.[11]

[edit] Shareholder structure

As of 3 March 2008, Invesco is the largest shareholder in Hiscox with a 15.1% stake. Jupiter Asset Management (6.4%) is the only other institution to hold more than 5% in the company.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e Annual Report 2007. Hiscox. Retrieved on 2008-05-26.
  2. ^ a b c d e f History. Hiscox. Retrieved on 2008-05-31.
  3. ^ "New Chairman Named By Lloyd's of London", The New York Times, December 13, 1966. Retrieved on 2008-06-03. 
  4. ^ Wynn, Sheridan. "Business Interview: Robert Hiscox, Chairman, Hiscox", The Independent on Sunday, 10 September 2006. Retrieved on 2008-06-04. 
  5. ^ Eakin, Jan. "The Market: Fall continues in heavy trading", The Daily Telegraph, 22 July 1997. Retrieved on 2008-06-05. 
  6. ^ Cave, Andrew. "US insurer buys stake in Hiscox", The Daily Telegraph, 23 December 1998. Retrieved on 2008-06-05. 
  7. ^ Edwards, Simon. "Hiscox rejects Chubb takeover", The Daily Telegraph, 21 March 2001. Retrieved on 2008-06-05. 
  8. ^ "Chubb sells Hiscox stake", Investors Chronicle, 16 April 2004. Retrieved on 2008-06-05. 
  9. ^ Seib, Christine. "Omega to follow Hiscox to tax-free haven", The Times, 19 September 2006. Retrieved on 2008-06-05. 
  10. ^ Personal Insurance. Hiscox. Retrieved on 2008-06-09.
  11. ^ Commercial Insurance. Hiscox. Retrieved on 2008-06-09.

[edit] External links