Ventis has announced it can now underwrite single buildings or assets up to £70 million per location, extending its available limits across commercial and residential real estate.
Against a backdrop of widespread underinsurance in UK commercial property, the move brings higher limits into a market where 46% of assets were found to be underinsured, with average shortfalls around 40% as rebuild and repair costs outpaced policy sums insured.
The findings also highlighted supply chain and labour pressures that have lengthened repair timelines and increased the risk of claim reductions where valuations lag actual reinstatement costs.
“We now have one of the largest capacities in the MGA market which means we have all of the ingredients to be a leading insurance partner to our brokers,” said Gareth Roberts (pictured above), CEO of Ventis. “This increase stems directly from listening to our brokers and their clients, who told us that they needed higher coverage limits to adequately protect their properties.”
Energy-efficiency retrofits have also been lifting reinstatement values, adding cost via insulation, heat pumps and solar installations; many policies have not kept pace. One study indicated 76% of UK buildings were underinsured, with typical sums insured covering only 60%–65% of true rebuild cost, underscoring the role of updated valuations and higher per‑location limits in addressing coverage gaps.
Ventis said the uplift does not change its operating model, with underwriting intended to remain streamlined and turnaround times unchanged. The company noted that higher limits will not introduce longer waits or additional procedures, and that brokers and clients should expect coverage and service to be delivered on the same basis as before.
The capacity change also lands amid a broader shift in commercial pricing, with global rates declining by an average of 3% in Q1 2025 and the UK down 6%, as competition and reinsurance conditions eased across several lines including property. This environment has enabled buyers to negotiate terms and explore alternative placements, even as casualty trends diverge.
Recent pricing data also show quoted home premiums fell 2.2% in the final quarter of 2024 after a year of earlier increases, with further easing into early 2025; many quotes clustered between £150 and £199.
While household trends are not a direct proxy for commercial real estate, they point to moderating rate momentum that may influence broker conversations on placement strategies and limits through the year.
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