Aviva confirms appointment of Chief Underwriting Officer – Commercial Lines

Karen-Dayal,-Commercial-Lines,-Chief-Underwriting-Officer,-Aviva

Aviva has confirmed Karen Dayal as its new Chief Underwriting Officer (CUO) – Commercial Lines*. In this role, she will develop and set Aviva’s underwriting appetite across Commercial Lines - shaping underwriting strategy, ensuring alignment, good governance and driving best practice across our Commercial Lines business (GCS & SME).

Karen has worked at Aviva for four years, most recently as Director of Exposure Management, Pricing and Insight for our Commercial Lines business, and she will continue to be responsible for this area. The move aligns critical capabilities, supporting Aviva’s fast-growing Commercial Lines business.

She begins this role with immediate effect and reports into UK and Ireland GI CEO, Jason Storah.

Karen is a qualified GI pricing actuary with more than 20 years’ pricing experience, including a wide knowledge of the London Market and commercial pricing. Karen also chairs Aviva’s Commercial Lines Women’s Network, which was recognised in the 2023 Women in Insurance Awards for championing diversity, equity and inclusion within the insurance industry.

In July 2023, Aviva announced the creation of four new roles to drive its GCS growth ambition. This included new underwriting director roles, to provide responsibility for the strategic direction for GCS across Financial, Specialty, Multinational, and Corporate Lines. The previous role of CUO Commercial Lines was separated into two roles, CUO Commercial Lines and Underwriting Director for Corporate Lines, with Marc Wanless named as the latter.

Jason Storah, Aviva UK&I GI CEO, said: “I’d like to congratulate Karen on her new role. She will be an exceptional addition to the GI ExCo and play an important role in accelerating us towards our ambitions. I believe this appointment demonstrates how important Commercial Lines is to our General Insurance strategy in the UK and I look forward to the team continuing their great work.”

Mark Dunham, who covered the Chief Underwriting Officer Commercial Lines role on an interim basis, will resume his role as Head of Commercial Lines Underwriting.

*subject to regulatory approval

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR
FREE BI-WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

About Aviva

Aviva Insurance Limited is one of the UK’s leading insurance companies, part of the Aviva group with 34 million customers Worldwide. Aviva Insurance has been in the insurance business for more than 300 years.

In UK commercial, the insurance market remains challenging for insurance brokers and customers, due to the ongoing economic conditions. Aviva Insurance are focusing on improving our processes to ensure Aviva provide commercial customers with insurance cover at an acceptable price. Insurance brokers also recognised our excellent customer service by voting us Insurance Times General Insurer of the Year in 2012, for the second year running. youTalk-insurance sharing Aviva insurance news and video.

Latest video

Aviva 2023 full year results video featuring Group CEO Dame Amanda Blanc

Watch Aviva Group CEO, Dame Amanda Blanc talking about Aviva’s full year 2023 results.For more granular information, CLICK HERE click here for more