Following the purchase of Silks Insurance, HQ Insurance and Magic Millions Insurance Brokers in late 2023, Howden Equine has officially launched in Australia and New Zealand effective October 1st. This marks a new era for bloodstock insurance with the three businesses now merging to form a dominant force in the market.
Founded by David Howden and two of his friends in London in 1994, Howden has since grown into one of the world’s largest independent insurance brokers, with a global network of offices that serve local people, locally.
Howden Pacific has been on an upward trajectory since Australian operations began in 2021 and the equine space is set to form the backbone of the Sport and Entertainment division. The launch of Howden Equine follows the purchase of Tysers Bloodstock Broking in London and the acquisition of two Underwriters by Howden’s underwriting arm DUAL.
The launch of Howden Equine marks a new era for bloodstock insurance
Linda Buckley, Operations Manager and Partner in Howden Equine shared “It’s an exciting time and I’m looking forward to sharing my thirty plus years in the bloodstock insurance sector with the dedicated and professional team that has been put together.
“Our aim is to be front and centre of equine insurance and to be the leading bloodstock insurance brokers, worldwide. We will continue to offer our clients the most comprehensive products at the most competitive terms, all backed with a wealth of experience and outstanding service.”
Stuart Doughty, former director of Silks Insurance and the new Head of Howden Equine, is excited about what the future holds; “The formation of Howden Equine is about as exciting as equine insurance gets! We’ve put together the best team, the best service and the best Underwriters coupled with the might of Howden and their desire to be leaders in the equine space, both in Australia and globally. All these factors are a recipe for great outcomes for our loyal clients and those looking to partner with us.”
Gallery: The powerhouse team behind the launch of Howden Equine
With the merger of three brands into one, you might expect some friction. But as HQ’s former CEO and now Partner in Howden Equine, Dean Morley explains, that simply isn’t the case here; “The beauty of the merger of these three companies is that we all know each other and have worked with each other before. It has and will continue to be a seamless transition internally which is important, as it means the transition for our clients is also seamless”.
“With the launch of Howden Equine, we now have access to a world leading stable of bloodstock mortality underwriters including Lloyds Syndicates, Markel, Swiss Re and David Ashby Underwriting.
“It’s imperative that I also stress the people taking care of our clients hasn’t changed. Account and claims managers will continue to service our clients with the skill and competency that we’ve shown in the past.”
For more information contact:
Stuart on 0409 075 604/stuart.doughty@howdengroup.com
Dean on 0428 197 023/dean.morley@howdengroup.com
Linda 0411 307 435/linda.buckley@howdengroup.com
