The deputy chairman of Lloyd's is urging members to unite behind the Chairman's Strategy Group (CSG) proposals to modernise the market.
Lloyd's 16,000 members will get the chance to vote for or against the proposals on 12 September at an extraordinary general meeting.
Deputy chairman John Coldman told an audience of Canadian insurance professionals that he believed the members of Lloyd's must put any differences behind them if the market is to instill confidence in its policyholders and backers.
He said: "Policyholders need to be confident in their insurer. A Lloyd's riven by internal tensions will not inspire confidence. There is a time for debate and a time for unity. Yes, we must have a debate in the run up to our extraordinary general meeting on September 12, but ultimately we want to see the market's financial backers unite behind these proposals.
"While the world's major insurance companies are able to have their debates in the privacy of a closed boardroom, we at Lloyd's must do so in the full glare of public scrutiny.
"This is not necessarily a bad thing - after all, we are seeking to encourage greater transparency - but it does mean that our disagreements are on show for the world to see, including our major competitors.
"We all know that a unified society is a stronger society. It is that unity of purpose and commitment that will propel the reformed Society of Lloyd's into an even stronger business position."
Coldman also argued that the interests of Lloyd's five million policyholders must be at the heart of the reform process:
"Ultimately the true test of our reforms will be whether they bring benefits to our policyholders. I believe they will. With the creation of the Lloyd's franchise, the great dramas associated with our financial performance in recent years - both the highs and lows - will be better managed.
"That can only mean fewer issues for the market to deal with internally, so therefore more resources to focus on overall customer care, product development and claims management," he said.
