Biba 2025: Ecclesiastical sets sights on £500m GWP for UKGI arm

Specialist insurer Ecclesiastical is ”on a path to doubling the size” of its UK general insurance business.

That was according to Richard Coleman, managing director at Ecclesiastical UK, who said that he is aiming for the UKGI arm to reach £500m in gross written premium (GWP).

One of its biggest segments today is real estate, but the firm is targeting growth in high-end leisure – including luxury hotels and visitor attractions – and has most recently moved towards the commercial care sector.

“We’re continuing to look to expand and grow,” Coleman said.

“There’s no specific timeframe, but we’re focusing on broadening our appetite and commerciality.”

Regional hubs also play a role in this growth, with it helping enhance the insurer’s service proposition.

Ecclesiastical recently opened a new hub in Glasgow, embedded in the city’s insurance district.

Coleman said: “We found we were growing incredibly well in Scotland through our northern region, so it made sense to support that with a base in Glasgow. It’s about enabling our underwriters and sales teams to meet brokers face-to-face.”

Benefact Group

The firm also aims to use its charitable ownership model to enhance its appeal to brokers and clients across the UK.

The insurer is wholly owned by a charitable trust, Benefact Group, with all distributable profits donated to good causes.

In 2024, it gave £25m via more than 1,200 grants – making it the UK’s third-largest corporate donor over the past decade.

“We’re a commercial business owned by a charity – we’re not a charity ourselves,” Coleman said.

“We compete head-on with much bigger insurers, aiming to match their target margins. But when we make a profit, that goes to the trust and the trust gives it away.”