Champlain unveils leadership and confirms $80mn WestCongress transition

Champlain Insurance Group (CIG) has confirmed that it will begin transitioning the $80mn+ in gross premium written by affiliated program administrator WestCongress onto the newly rated AM Best A- paper of its E&S carrier Champlain Specialty as it also unveiled its executive team.

As previously reported, Champlain Specialty secured an A- financial strength rating from AM Best on 22 December. The entity, which is backed by David Evans and his conglomerate Glencoe Diversified Holdings (GDH), will now look to build a book of direct insurance business as an E&S carrier led by a team of WestCongress executives.

The move represents an evolution from its origins as a reinsurance captive for Glencoe Capital-owned program administrator WestCongress, which focuses on offering primary and excess general liability products in the US.

The carrier subsidiary is led by co-CEOs Evans and Richard Smith, the former First Mercury Financial Corporation and CoverX Specialty executive who left with colleagues to launch WestCongress with backing from Glencoe Capital in 2017.

Evans is also executive chairman of CIG, with Smith named executive vice chairman.

Thomas Dulapa – part of the WestCongress launch team with Smith – is executive vice president and COO of CIG.

Ted Camp is vice president of CIG and head of specialty risk for Champlain Specialty; Michael Hernandez is vice president of CIG and head of energy/specialty artisan risk for WestCongress; and Veronica Rhodes is vice president of CIG and head of underwriting for Champlain Specialty.

Scott Mygind takes the positions of vice president of CIG and chief data and business strategy officer for Champlain Specialty, with Gregory Ludwig vice president and senior controller for CIG.

GDH assistant general counsel Michael Roskiewicz also takes the position of general counsel to CIG and Champlain Specialty.

In a statement, Smith said the launch of Champlain Specialty marks a “significant milestone” for the organisation.

He said the WestCongress book produced over $80mn in 2021 and is set for significant growth in 2022.

“We will begin to expeditiously transition that business to Champlain Specialty as market and customer conditions dictate,” Smith continued.

“With an experienced leadership team, outstanding underwriting and claims teams, a robust IT infrastructure, support from some of the world’s largest reinsurers, and the continued financial backing of my partner David Evans and his conglomerate, Glencoe Diversified Holdings LLC and its affiliates, the Champlain Insurance Group enterprise is well positioned to become a premier provider of comprehensive insurance solutions throughout the United States in specialty, niche markets,” said the executive.

Evans added: “Our leadership team is the best of both worlds – multiple proven veterans going back to our days as First Mercury/Cover-X years ago, as well as dynamic new talent, all of whom are best in industry class.”