Who We Are

Verdant are a premier Managing General Underwriter based in London and New York serving brokers and agents in the wholesale marketplace in the USA. We specialize in providing flexible underwriting solutions for large homes in hard to place areas across the USA. We can consider all types of occupancy from owner occupied primary homes to homes under construction with a focus on single family dwellings and condominiums. Verdant offer solutions for individuals, trusts and corporations owning or occupying such dwellings and condominiums.

Meet the team

Nik Black

Nik has spent almost 30 years in the insurance market, most of those as a Lloyd’s underwriter. Nik has specialized in US high value home insurance for over 23 years. He has worked at several major Lloyd’s syndicates including Hiscox and Brit and now heads up Verdant Underwriting Managers.

Matthew Riley

Matthew has over 18 years’ experience in the insurance market. He started his career as a claims broker before moving to underwriting 4 years later. Matthew has been specializing in US high value homes for 14 years and has worked in London and New York during that time. In 2023 he joined Verdant Underwriting Managers to help establish this new entity.

Louis Hartley

Louis has spent 14 years in the insurance market, starting as a UK personal lines agent before transitioning into underwriting with Chubb on their Masterpiece product 8 years ago. Louis has specialized in high value homes both in the UK and Singapore and joined the Verdant team in 2024.

Billy Anness

Billy has been working in the insurance market for 9 years, spending 6 and a half years at Bell & Clements (now Munich Re – North America). With short periods on the transportation team and the Lloyd’s broking team, he has been specializing in US high value homes for 5 years and joined Verdant Underwriting Managers in January 2025.

Owen Hammond

Owen has been working in the insurance market for 8 years. Originally starting as an apprentice for a brokerage, he then moved to join a subsidiary of Munich Re, specializing in construction and UK high net worth. Owen joined the Verdant team in 2024, bringing his expertise of high-value clients and expanding markets.

Sulaiman Deeks-Massaquoi

Sulaiman has 7 years’ experience within the insurance market. His career started as an operations support officer in Australia before moving back to the UK and transitioning into the UK high net worth market and underwriting. Having worked at an MGA and, most recently, at the Lloyd’s syndicate Brit, Sulaiman now specializes in US high-value homes and is part of Verdant's underwriting team.

Nikki Sturt-Brown

Nikki is Operations Manager for Verdant Underwriting Managers. She has 14 years’ experience in the insurance industry, predominantly in personal lines direct-to-customer operations in New Zealand until starting with Verdant. Nikki has a background in project management and delivery and has now moved into leadership and operations management.

why us

Verdant provides value beyond the placement of a risk. Operating using a proprietary online portal, streamlining the quote to bind process, working with Verdant is highly efficient.

Verdant takes pride in offering white glove claims service and offers the latest loss mitigation advice to provide your clients with comfort during unfortunate times as well as constructive advice to reduce their chance of loss or damage to their home.

Verdant also offers catastrophe response advice, highlighting efforts to prepare property incase of wildfire or hurricane. Verdant utilizes a variety of wildfire and hurricane models along with other risk analysis to provide competitive and fair pricing.

why e&s

Excess & Surplus lines (E&S) is a specialty market that insures things standard carriers won't cover. The most common reason people turn to the E&S market is due to their property facing higher than normal risk. Such as the property being situated in a difficult or high-risk areas such as coastal properties prone to hurricane or properties situated in areas prone to wildfire. Other reasons may include the insureds high profile exposure or the loss history. The specialty market is constantly adapting and evolving to market changes and can offer unique and flexible underwriting solutions.

Security

Verdant only provides coverage supported by companies with an "A" rated A.M. Best financial strength.

The benefits of choosing a strongly rated insurance company include financial security & stability and the ability to pay claims especially in times of financial strain, such as natural disasters.

Verdant's security is provided through Domestic E&S insurers & Lloyds of London. Lloyd's unique capital structure provides excellent financial security to policyholders and capital efficiency for members. Often referred to as the Chain of Security, the capital structure provides the financial strength that ultimately backs all insurance policies written at Lloyd's and the common security that underpins the market's strong ratings and global license network.

Security

Verdant only provides coverage supported by companies with an "A" rated A.M. Best financial strength.
 
The benefits of choosing a strongly rated insurance company include financial security & stability and the ability to pay claims especially in times of financial strain, such as natural disasters.
 
Verdant's security is provided through Domestic E&S insurers & Lloyds of London. Lloyd's unique capital structure provides excellent financial security to policyholders and capital efficiency for members. Often referred to as the Chain of Security, the capital structure provides the financial strength that ultimately backs all insurance policies written at Lloyd's and the common security that underpins the market's strong ratings and global license network.

Connection to
Ryan Specialty

Verdant is a part of the Ryan Specialty family. Ryan Specialty is a service provider of specialty products and solutions for insurance brokers, agents and carriers. Ryan Specialty provides distribution, underwriting, product development, administration and risk management services by acting as a managing underwriter and a wholesale broker. Ryan Specialty’s mission is to provide industry-leading innovative specialty insurance solutions for insurance brokers, agents and carriers. RyanSpecialty.com (NYSE: RYAN)

Ryan Specialty was founded in 2010 by Patrick G. Ryan, the widely respected insurance veteran, founder and former Chairman and CEO of Aon Corporation. Mr. Ryan saw the need in the marketplace for a specialty organization dedicated exclusively to creating sophisticated insurance solutions for risks that demand innovation, proven leadership, outstanding industry expertise and quality services on behalf of brokers, agents and carriers.

Within Ryan Specialty, Verdant falls within the Underwriting Managers specialty. Underwriting Managers delivers an independent and entrepreneurial approach to the specialty lines space by providing a unique platform for operational, legal, actuarial and technical support. Underwriting Managers’ exceptional resources and back office support allows underwriters to focus on the risk itself, delivering a superior level of service to brokers, agents and carriers.

©2024 Ryan Specialty, LLC | Privacy Notice | Legal | European Operating Model

 
Verdant Underwriting Managers’ operations are conducted through multiple legal entities, the choice of which depends on where the entities are authorized to operate. In the UK, Verdant Underwriting Managers is a tradename of Ryan Specialty International Limited (Ryan Specialty International), authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 733324). Registered office: 30 St. Mary Axe, 13th Floor, London, EC3A 8BF, United Kingdom. Company number 07164987. In the US, Verdant Underwriting Managers’ operations are conducted by Verdant Underwriting Managers, a series of RSG Underwriting Managers, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (Verdant Underwriting Managers US). Ryan Specialty International and Verdant Underwriting Managers US are subsidiaries of Ryan Specialty, LLC. Verdant Underwriting Managers works directly with brokers, agents and insurance carriers, and as such does not solicit insurance from the public. Some products may only be available in certain jurisdictions, and some products may only be available in the US from surplus lines insurers. In California: RSG Insurance Services, LLC (License #0E50879). ©2025 Ryan Specialty, LLC