Douw Steyn takes the top spot in the insurance rich list, according to the Sunday Times Rich List 2018

Hopping on to the top spot on the 2018 insurance rich list is BGL Group founder Douw Steyn and his family, according to the latest edition of the Sunday Times Rich List.

Steyn’s wealth rose to £900m, up £50m on the year before and pushing Sir Roger and Peter De Haan into second.

However, he dropped two places in the overall list from equal 152nd to equal 154th.

Hot on his heels are former Saga owners the De Haans, currently worth £890m and placing in 158th, down from 148th the previous year when they were worth £895m.

The De Haans sold over 50s travel and insurance provider Saga in 2004.

Esure chairman Sir Peter Wood saw his wealth rise by £88m to £781m, which places him in third in the insurance list and 172nd overall. He has risen from 187th in 2017.

In fourth on the insurance rich list, Henry Engelhardt and his family ranked 176th overall, up from equal 180th last year.

The former Admiral chief executive stepped down in 2016, but retain his ties with the business, which he started in 1991.

Homeserve founder Richard Harpin saw his worth jump by £102m since the 2017 rankings.

He is now worth £458m and has swept from 335th in the overall list in 2017, to 284th in 2018.

The rest of the pack

Also featuring on the list is Sompo International chairman and chief executive John Charman in equal 410th, with £300m.

Enstar director and chief executive officer Dominic Silvester’s £250m worth bags him the 480th spot.

Neil Utley, former Hastings chairman, ranks at 499th overall, with £249m.

Admiral chief executive David Stevens and his wife Heather join Engelhardt on the list, ranking in 579th with a worth of £202m.

In 584th, Sabre founder Angus Ball makes the list. He is worth £200m.

Former Saga chairman Andrew Goodsell is worth £195m, ranking 620th.

Ball’s Sabre co-founder Keith Morris ranks 675th overall, with a worth of £175m.

Brian Scowcroft and Janet Lefton take equal 713th place, worth £165m. The brother and sister made their names at Swinton Insurance.

Former General Electric chairman and chief executive Sir Clive Cowdery takes equal 804th place overall, with £147m.

Grahame Chilton, AJG chief executive, nets the final place on the list. He is worth £125m, ranking equal 912th in 2018.