Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company is diving into marine insurance underwriting in both Australia and New Zealand.

BSHI said it has appointed Dimitry Zilberud as head of marine, and Mark Dixon as marine manager, and both will handle the new initiative from the insurer’s Sydney’s offices.

BHSI’s Auckland and Melbourne will both offer marine cargo (ocean and inland), cargo stock throughput (STP), carrier goods in transit, carriers liability and marine project cargo coverages, according to the announcement.

Chris Colahan, BHSI’s president of the Australasia region, said in prepared remarks that the insurer is pursuing a flexible, tailored approach to marine risks.

Zilberud has nearly two decades of marine underwriting experience. He was most recently the marine underwriting manager, Australasia at HDI-Gerling. Before that, he served as marine underwriting manager, NSW/QLD, for ACE Insurance and was the business development manager at WE COX London UK.

Dixon was most recently northern region marine underwriting manager and senior marine underwriter at HDI-Gerling. He has also held various marine and distribution positions for both brokers and insurers.

BHSI noted that it has also recently launched property, casualty, executive & professional and healthcare lines in Australia, plus property, casualty and financial lines in New Zealand.

Source: Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI)