Our history

We deal with record flood activity in the UK, Superstorm Sandy in the US, fine art thefts in Europe, fires in substantial properties across the world and the sinking of Costa Concordia. Hiscox UK receives 1,500 storm and flood claims with related claims paid of £14 million, nearly five times the previous year.

Robert is presented with the Lifetime Achievement award at both the Insurance Day London Market Awards and the Insurance Insider Awards 2012.

Direct insurance for allied health professionals is now available in 15 new states.

Hiscox air its first French TV commercial for the first time ever, supporting the small direct business, reflecting our UK experience and driving brand recognition and perception in the broker channel.

Hiscox has a passion for art that gets into everything we do; we insure it, we collect it and we promote it. An important part of our commitment to the arts is our work with the Royal Academy Schools, an integral part of the Royal Academy of Arts. The Royal Academy Schools Hiscox Scholarship awards prizes to two exceptional second year students each year (enrolled on a three year course) which includes a bursary for the Royal Academy Schools as well as a prize fund for the students themselves.

The Tech Track 100 charts the fastest growing private technology, telecoms and digital media companies.

Kevin Shepherd, Undershaft to Bishopsgate*, 2010-2012
*Commissioned by Hiscox.
View full artwork

Richard Mosse, Vintage Violence, 2011
View full artwork 
 

Hiscox UK is awarded Customer Care award for putting our customers at the heart of our business and moving against the tide by bringing direct household claims back in-house.

In the same year, the Hiscox London Market property team is named ‘Company Team of the Year’ at the Reactions awards.

“Carefully targeting sections of the property underwriting market and global specialty business, Hiscox is a force to be reckoned within the insurance market.”

Hiscox Spain is awarded Best Workplace 2012 by Great Place to Work and there is a double marketing win for Hiscox UK. Annabel Venner, Marketing Director, picks up the Members’ vote award for Marketer of the Year and Sarah Faulkner, Broker Marketing Manager, is awarded Young Marketer of the Year.
 

Hiscox Private Client works directly and in partnership with specialist commercial brokers who don’t have in-house private client expertise but who want to offer a Hiscox Home Insurance policy to their clients.

In response to a changing media and entertainment sector, Hiscox merges its operations in global media, entertainment and events. Headed up by Suzanne Kemble as Global Head of Media, Entertainment and Events, the new division will serve as a single, one-stop-shop for a wide range of risks including media errors and omissions (professional indemnity), property, production insurance and advertisers.

Jeremy moves to Bermuda to take up his position as Group Company Secretary and CEO of Hiscox Bermuda.

Richard returns to the UK from the US as Managing Director of Hiscox USA and succeeds Robert Childs as Group Chief Underwriter.

Hiscox UK goes out on British television with an advertising campaign that promotes our ethos of trust, honesty and fair customer service.

Hiscox’s marketing and communications campaigns have been regarded as some of the best in the business. It launched its first highly visible and original TV advertising campaign back in 2006, which created a stir in the financial services sector, and continues to define its brand through strong imagery, brand values and innovation across both B2B and consumer marketing.

Hiscox, the first insurer offering US small businesses the ability to purchase business insurance direct online and in real-time, announces a partnership with Business Insurance Now to meet the needs of their small professional services customers.

Customers contacting Business Insurance Now for quotes can now get access to professional liability insurance quotes from Hiscox, tailored to the specific needs of their business.

Designed specifically for the small business and home-office market, Hiscox small business professional liability insurance coverage (errors and omissions insurance) is customised for a range of knowledge-based professions including public relations, human resources, management consulting, business consulting and marketing.
 

Hiscox finances a project to replace traditional three-stone fires with clean burning, purpose-built stoves. These stoves use 50% less fuel than a traditional fire and burn significantly hotter, meaning that smoke emissions are cut by 80%. As a result, each stove, which has been designed for use in a way that’s very close to the traditional way of cooking, will save over 15 tonnes of fuel over its lifetime, compared to a traditional fire.

These stoves are lifesavers, for not only are they helping to save the environment, they are helping to keep children alive. To date, we have provided 242 stoves directly to families in Kenya.

Hiscox USA commissions online web series – ‘Leap Year’

The scene: You’re thinking about starting your own business. There’s a lot on your mind and the stakes are high – and that’s without the benefit of the advice you’ve never come across. Can I support a family without a company salary? What happens if I’m the victim of technology theft? How could inviting a colleague for drinks end in a lawsuit?

These situations are being brought to life with today’s launch of Leap Year, a new scripted comedy series commissioned by specialist small business insurer Hiscox, the first US insurer to offer small business coverage direct, online, and in real-time.

The ten-episode series tracks the entrepreneurial highs and lows of five friends who make the proverbial ‘leap’ and go it alone in the wake of corporate downsizing.
 

Hiscox UK wins both the Personal and Commercial Lines Team of the Year awards at the 2011 Claims Awards. These awards are given for innovative improvements in the claims process, quicker settlements and overall, increasing customer satisfaction.
 

Hiscox UK launches a new five-star rated annual travel insurance policy available on the phone or online at www.hiscox.co.uk and provides a choice of Europe or worldwide cover for individuals, couples and families.

“Whether you are an independent pleasure-seeker, a sun worshipper or a frequent business flier, this comprehensive annual policy means you can enjoy everything from a spontaneous weekend in Italy to a planned safari in South Africa with the peace of mind knowing that if something does go wrong, you’ll get the assistance you need to get things back to normal as soon as possible.” Steve Langan

Hiscox is the first to offer direct insurance for small businesses in France at the beginning of 2011.

Australian floods; Japanese earthquake and the resulting tsunami; two further earthquakes in New Zealand; the US tornados in Alabama and Joplin; the Thailand floods.

“Mother Nature has well and truly tested us.” Robert Hiscox

Hiscox has been awarded Corporate Chartered Insurer status by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) for their Hiscox London Market business. This award reinforces the firm’s pedigree as a first-class underwriter with a commitment to professionalism and excellent claims handling. 

Hiscox is one of few insurers to offer a technical programme that has been developed and delivered by its own senior underwriters and is open to both the claims and underwriting teams
 

Hiscox USA become the first US insurer to offer small business insurance online, and over the phone in real-time.

“A milestone was the launch of our US direct commercial business. Our test site opened for business in November 2010, selling errors and omissions, commercial general liability and property owners’ business to firms of zero-to-ten employees in 15 states.” Bronek Masojada

Europe has a tremendous year driven by a number of factors, one of which is the creation of a pan-European service centre in Lisbon, which allows Hiscox Europe to take advantage of pan-European economies of scale.

Hiscox UK announces the launch of a new dedicated schemes team. The team will deal directly with brokers to project manage schemes from start to finish and proactively work with them to build bespoke packages and identify new income streams from the sectors they operate in. As well as providing individual marketing support for brokers, the team can also help to speed up and deliver the most cost effective process for implementing schemes.

“The new schemes team is a development that complements our appetite for new schemes and our broker partners will benefit from their dedicated service. By providing flexible underwriting of scheme packages and support throughout the process, I believe the team will add value in a unique way and enhance the quality service our brokers already know us for.” Lee Turner, National Schemes Sales Manager