Rokstone Agriculture Risk Underwriters, a US specialist agriculture division of international specialty MGA Rokstone, has announced that it has partnered with Accelerant to secure admitted and non-admitted delegated authority capacity for niche livestock business.
In addition to the new capacity, Rokstone has launched the US market’s only platform that gives brokers full control to quote, bind and manage endorsements online, the company said. Rokstone has seen success with this approach in the UK, where its agricultural team, iFarm Underwriting, is the fastest-growing agricultural MGA.
Rokstone Agriculture was launched last year and is led by CEO Erik Conklin, who has more than 20 years of experience underwriting livestock and equine business.
The new partnership strengthens the existing relationship Accelerant has with other parts of Rokstone and its parent company, Aventum. Accelerant, rates A- (excellent) by AM Best, is a data and analytics technology platform.
“Until now, brokers in the US have been held hostage, with only one insurer in the market offering terms for broad livestock cover that includes core as well as niche risks,” Conklin said. “We’re thrilled to announce this deal, which brings sorely needed capacity and choice to the livestock market. It also really serves to illustrate the confidence the market has in our knowledge and expertise in these niche lines.
“We are a data-driven business in an area of the market that has historically been starved of reliable data and innovation. Our specialist knowledge, use of technology and access to quality data and capacity means we can now provide broader, more relevant cover that’s secure and quicker to bind than anywhere else.”
Rokstone is one of the world’s largest MGAs, with offices in the US, the UK, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. the company currently underwrites $750 million in gross written premium across several specialty lines, including marine, aviation, terrorism and political violence, direct and facultative property, treaty property, construction and engineering, liability, and agriculture.
