Established in 2001, Zurich Infrastructure Unit is Zurich Insurance Group’s specialist unit, providing construction and operational phase insurance on a stand-alone basis or through multi-year, multi-class insurance programmes for UK and international project financed infrastructure projects procured on a PPP or similar basis.
We are the only London market insurer with a dedicated infrastructure & PPP team; we understand the industry, its contractual tensions and welcome complexity.
Our unit currently underwrites approximately 400 projects working in partnership with other Zurich departments to ensure that our Group knowledge and product line expertise is coordinated through a single team.
PPP and equivalent infrastructure projects often present a complex mix of construction and operational risks, for example; adopted assets and/or assets scheduled for refurbishment, new-build and multiple, often phased, completion dates at different locations. Coverage interface problems can be eliminated by the use of our multi-year, multi-line insurance programme whether wholly underwritten by Zurich or led by Zurich and subscribed to by a panel of co-insurers. We underwrite construction risks or operational risks in isolation or in combination as required.
Our specialist policy wordings incorporate financiers clauses and we have a preferred format that enjoys widespread market acceptance.
We provide coverage for most heavy civil or social infrastructure projects in the following sectors;
- Healthcare
- Prisons
- Motorways Tunnels & Bridges
- Tram & Light Rail
- Roads and Street Lighting
- Government and Public Buildings
- Education
- Police Stations, Fire Stations
- Ministry of Defence assets
- Waste
To view a full list of all sectors we cover click here » more
Our philosophy is that our clients should be able to choose their prefered entry point into our organisation and consequently we can transact business in several ways....
- Domestically through our local office in the country of origin, or
- as a London market placement, or
- a blend of the above
Our clients
We have a wide cross-section including: contractors, sponsors, financiers and secondary market investors.
Whilst we value and encourage direct client contact, all of our business is broker introduced. We act as lead insurer for the great majority of our policies but are able to write on a 100% retained or joint-lead basis as appropriate.
Underwriting will be done by Zurich’s specialist Supply Chain Insurance underwriters in London in conjunction with nominated specialists in Political Risks, NatCat, Credit, Marine and other lines as appropriate.
The policy will initially be written on a Freedom of Services (FOS) basis.
Multiple projects placed in a single portfolio format need to be designed with flexibility to accommodate what is effectively an affinity group of projects often with different shareholders and financiers, each of whom have different requirements and priorities.
The creation of a portfolio entails more than the simple amalgamation of several policies and we are experienced in dealing with the issues arising, not least of which is the need to convince joint-venture partners, co-investors or lenders that the programme is attractive to all stake holders.
Global portfolios can be structured to conform to the mandatory insurance and tax legislation applicable in the project territory.
- Multi-line, multi-year insurance programmes embracing construction and operational risks
- Public Liability, operational phase.
- Material damage, project assets, Operational phase :
- Forward rated operational property coverage for assets under construction where construction completion is scheduled 1 to 5 years after project signature/financial close.
- Existing assets passed to the project sponsor by the procurement agency (or for which they have responsibility) whilst fully operational or during refurbishment and extension works.
- Operational risks business interruption
- Construction all risks (C.A.R.)
- Engineering All Risks (E.A.R.) for projects involving process plant.
- Delay in start up (whether arising from damage to works or retained/adopted assets)
- Public Liability, Construction phase
- Professional Indemnity, whether 'single-project', annually renewable, or bespoke coverage established in the name of the Employers (or procuring agency's and lenders name)
In partnership with other colleagues we can additionally provide
- Marine Cargo including associated delay in start up/business interruption exposures
- Political risks
- Surety bonds
- Employers Liability
- Directors & Officers Liability
- Bespoke legal indemnities
Risk Management
One of the benefits of writing both construction and operational risks is the opportunity it offers for our risk management input during the design and early construction phase. Certain assets, schools for example, are often more exposed during operation than during construction, whilst the reverse is the case for infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges. Our risk control engineers work closely together recognising that in-built risk protections are less expensive and more effective than ad hoc risk improvement works introduced after the asset has been built. Our construction risk control team includes qualified civil engineers who have contributed to guidance such as the code of practice for tunnelling works.
Find out more on the code of practice for tunnelling works here » more
To find out more about our school design guide please review the downloads at the top of this page.
Contact us
Robert Tucker
Head of Global Development
Tel:+44 (0) 20 7648 3305
Mob:+44 (0) 7766 087316
Email: robert.tucker@zurich.com
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Keith Knight
Deputy Head, UK Infrastructure unit
Tel:+44 (0) 20 7648 3331
Email: keith.1.knight@uk.zurich.com
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Richard Wood
Head of Specialist Markets
Tel:+44 (0) 7734 336735
Email: simon.dixon@uk.zurich.com
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Ben Mogford
Underwriter, Zurich Infrastructure Unit
Tel:+44 (0) 20 7648 3309
Email: ben.mogford@uk.zurich.com |
Belgium
Edwin Birkhoff
Zurich Insurance plc
Zurichtoren,
Muzenstraat 31
2511 VW DEN HAGG
Tel:+31 70 418 4112
Fax:+31 70 418 4064
Mob:+31 6 223 89 464
Email:
edwin.birkhoff@zurich.com
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Livien Mentens
Zurich Insurance plc
Zurichtoren
Avenue Lloyd George 7
B-1000 Brussels
Tel:+32 2 639 55 09
Fax:+32 2 639 58 21
Mob:+32 475 95 00 18
Email:
lieven.mentens@zurich.com
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Netherlands
Edwin Birkoff
Zurich Insurance plc
Zurichtoren
Muzenstraat 31
2511 VW DEN HAAG
Tel:+31 70 418 4112
Fax:+31 70 418 4007
Mob: +31 6 223 89 464
Email:
edwin.birkhoff@zurich.com
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Bas van Mullem
Zurich Insurance plc
Zurichtoren
Muzenstraat 31
2511 VW DEN HAAG
Tel:+31 70 418 4220
Fax:+31 70 418 4007
Mob: +31 6 271 49 561
Email:
bas.van.mullem@zurich.com
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North America & Canada
Nathan J. Espe
Zurich Global Construction
3600 Minnesota Drive
Suite 200,
Edina, Minnesota 55435, USA
Tel:+1 952 229 3623
Mob:+1 952 229 3623
Email:
nathan.espe@zurich.com
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Republic of Ireland
Liam McCarthy or Cliff Skeates
Zurich Insurance Plc
Zurich House
Ballsbridge Park
Dublin 4
Tel: +353-(0)1-609 1139
Mob: +353-(0)86- 048 1735
Email:
cliff.skeates@zurich.ie
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Spain & Portugal
Juan Aubia or
Vincente Cancio
Zurich Global Corporate Spain
Avenida Diagonal, 431bis
08036 Barcelona
Spain
Tel: +34 93 366 74 24
Mob: +34 619 705 897
Email:
juan.aubia@zurich.com
vincente.cancio@zurich.com |
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