ARAG completes acquisition of DAS and announces Executive Management Committee

Authored by ARAG

ARAG Group is pleased to announce it has completed the acquisition of DAS UK, a legal protection insurance business in the United Kingdom

DAS UK was purchased from ERGO Versicherung AG, a property and casualty insurance subsidiary of ERGO Group located in Germany. For the time being the business will remain independent from ARAG Group's existing Managing General Agent in the UK trading as ARAG plc since 2006. Together the companies represented gross written premium of approx. £190 million and had around 800 employees in 2022.

Following completion, a new Executive Management Committee* (EMC) for ARAG UK** will be established (subject to regulatory approval). It will include seven members in total: three from ARAG plc, three from DAS UK, and one from the wider ARAG Group of companies. Tony Buss will lead the EMC as CEO with Tony Coram, previously CEO of DAS UK, becoming COO.

Dr. Renko Dirksen, Speaker of the Board of Management of ARAG SE, said: “This is an important moment for our Group as we continue to deliver against our strategy for growth and expansion in key international markets. This now makes the UK our largest operation outside of Germany. I am pleased we have been able to establish a balanced EMC for ARAG UK** and, while both companies will continue running operations separately for now, we will gradually work towards having both companies operate under the ARAG brand.”

Tony Buss, designated CEO of ARAG UK** operations, added: “This development will bring benefits to all our stakeholders. It will allow us to share knowledge and skills, and to bring new ideas, products, and services to our customers, including further digitalisation of our offering. Our many dedicated employees are the key to achieving this as they support our customers every day. I am excited about how this new chapter will encourage even more collaboration and best practice.”

Tony Coram, designated COO of ARAG UK**, added: “This marks the start of a strong new partnership – one underpinned by experience, great people, and a deep understanding of legal insurance. Together we have the opportunity to invest for the long term – in our UK based products, operations, systems and employees.”

The ARAG Group previously acquired the operations and business of DAS UK’s branch in the Republic of Ireland in 2019, as well as the entirety of ERGO Group’s DAS business in Canada in 2021.

Full list of members of the Executive Management Committee* for DAS UK Holdings Ltd. and DAS Legal Expenses Insurance Company Ltd.:

• Tony Buss has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer (CEO)*
• Tony Coram has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer (COO)*
• Dirk Hock from ARAG Spain has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer (CFO)*
• David Haynes has been appointed as Director of Underwriting*
• Kate Banks has been appointed as Chief People Officer
• Jay Prosser has been appointed as Director of BTE Partnerships*
• Andy Talbot has been appointed as Director of ATE & Broker Sales*

* Executive Management Committee subject to regulatory approval
** The new entity is legally known as DAS UK Holdings Ltd. and DAS Legal Expenses Insurance Company Ltd.