British Marine was founded in 1876. Since then, it has built a reputation for catering to the needs of smaller vessels, including tugs, harbour craft, fishing vessels and cargo vessels. In 2000, British Marine was demutualised and in 2005, it was acquired by the QBE Insurance Group. Today, it is a leading marine insurer, providing cover to vessels all over the world.
Unlike many other providers, we offer both P&I and Hull and Machinery insurance – individually or combined – and can cover 100% of the risk.
At a glance
145
Years in operation
10,000+
Vessels insured
480
Correspondents in 230 ports
90%
Business based outside the UK
A leading alternative to the P&I Clubs
Because of our focus on smaller ships, we have always stood outside the International Group of P&I Clubs, which pools risks in order to reduce exposure to larger claims. As we are not part of a pool, we are able to offer certainty around costs and premiums that are calculated based on your individual risk profile.
Financial Strength
British Marine is owned by the QBE Insurance Group. The strength of the QBE Insurance Group balance sheet means that you can transfer your risks to us, confident in the knowledge that if you ever need to make a claim, we’ll be here for you.
US$m
23,959
Gross written premium
US$m
18,412
Net earned premium
%
91.9
Combined operating ratio
US$m
2,157
Net insurance revenue
All figures from 2025. For more, visit the Financial Reports and Presentations area on the QBE Insurance Group website, where you can also find information for investors and shareholders.
Highly Rated
British Marine is a wholly-owned subsidiary of QBE Insurance (Europe) Limited, which forms part of the QBE Insurance Group, both of which receive financial strength ratings from the leading rating agencies.
AA- Stable
AA- Stable
A Stable
| Company | S&P Global Ratings | Fitch Ratings | A.M. Best |
| QBE Insurance Group | AA- Stable | AA- Stable | A (Excellent) Stable |
| QBE UK Limited (“QBE UK”) | AA- Stable | AA- Stable | A (Excellent) Stable |
| QBE Europe SA/NV (“QBE Europe”) | AA- Stable | AA- Stable | A (Excellent) Stable |
British Marine's executive team
Richard Inman
Portfolio Manager - P&I
Richard Inman is an experienced marine insurance professional with more than 13 years of expertise in P&I and specialist mutual insurance. Prior to joining QBE’s British Marine business as Portfolio Manager, he worked for Tindall Riley & Co., managers of Britannia P&I Club, where he held the role of Associate Director, Underwriting and gained extensive experience across both the London and Hong Kong markets. His background includes technical underwriting, customer engagement, and the management of complex international insurance risks, positioning him to lead British Marine’s P&I portfolio strategy and underwriting performance.
Matthew Mitchell
Portfolio Manager - H&M
Matthew began his career in insurance in 2007, joining as an underwriting assistant for the 1036 O’Farrell syndicate, part of the QBE insurance group. He has since risen through the underwriting ranks and has recently been promoted to Portfolio Manager – Hull and War in April 2022, overseeing both the Syndicate Hull and British Marine Hull products.
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