IQUW has appointed Alex Gregory (pictured above) as senior underwriter for specialty reinsurance in London amid a changing geopolitical landscape in the UK.
Gregory, who previously worked at Munich Re Specialty with a focus on terrorism and political violence, will now be responsible for developing reinsurance solutions, leveraging data insights, and strengthening broker relationships. He will report to Dan Warburg, head of reinsurance for IQUW in London.
The company has also promoted Chris Parkes, Gregor Lockhart-Smith, and Sabina Ahmad to new underwriting roles within the reinsurance team, reflecting IQUW’s ongoing effort to recognise and retain high-potential talent.
Steven Tebbutt, IQUW active underwriter, commented, “We’re thrilled to welcome Alex into our London reinsurance team and equally proud to empower Chris, Gregor and Sabina through these well-deserved promotions.”
Tebbutt said that the changes support the company’s 2026 ambitions and reinforce its focus on building a data-driven reinsurance capability, “underpinned by market leading talent who can deliver intelligent underwriting and seamless risk solutions.”
Gregory’s appointment comes at a time when the UK terrorism and political violence insurance market is undergoing significant change. Pool Re’s October threat assessment highlights a shift in terrorism risks toward lower-sophistication, high-impact tactics, such as attacks involving bladed weapons, arson, and small extremist groups.
This evolving threat landscape is prompting insurers and reinsurers to update exposure models and adapt underwriting strategies to address new types of risk.
The UK insurance market is also seeing a shift in how politically motivated disruptive acts are classified. Actions by activist groups, which were previously treated as vandalism or civil unrest, are increasingly being considered under terrorism coverage. This reclassification is influencing how insurers define political violence and manage claims, requiring underwriters to be more flexible and responsive to changing definitions and exposures.
Pool Re remains a central part of terrorism risk management in the UK, but the scheme is continuing to adapt to new threats and market needs. Recent changes include expanding coverage to address non-damage denial of access and increasing focus on SME clients, who are less likely to purchase terrorism insurance.
Alongside Pool Re, the private insurance market has developed alternatives through specialist brokers, giving clients more options for terrorism and political violence protection.
