Munich Re Specialty announces formal entry into the Australian primary specialty insurance market

• From today, the business will offer Property, Construction & Engineering, Mining, and Surety insurance products.
• Munich Re Specialty will provide solutions to commercial and mid-market clients.
• Chris Mackinnon, the 2026 Lifetime Achievement award recipient from the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance, leads the expansion as Head of Munich Re Specialty in Australia.

Munich Re Specialty today announces its formal entry and readiness to offer commercial solutions in the Australian primary specialty insurance market. The launch of its Australian business further validates Munich Re Specialty’s strategic growth plan which places expert underwriters and claims managers in close proximity to customer demands, aligned with the objectives laid out in Munich Re Group’s Ambition 2030 strategy. 

Munich Re Specialty will enter the Australian market with an initial focus on mid-market clients of Property, Construction & Engineering, Mining, and Surety. In addition, the local proposition will provide access to the product range of Munich Re Specialty’s Lloyd’s syndicate and the broader capabilities of Munich Re Group, alongside continued investment in partnerships with its backed MGAs in Australia.

Chris Mackinnon will lead the business and be responsible for driving profitable growth and fostering key relationships among primary specialty brokers and clients across the region. Chris is a widely recognised market leader and was recently awarded the lifetime achievement award by the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF).

Chris Mackinnon, Head of Munich Re Specialty in Australia, said: “Today is the culmination of purposeful strategic planning to bring the best of Munich Re Specialty to the Australian insurance market. Munich Re’s global financial strength, stability and technical prowess provides a powerful competitive advantage and a basis as a long-term partner for risk management. Complemented by my team of experienced underwriters and claims professionals, we will provide local authority with an easy to access, consistent and responsive approach. We have built client needs into our planning from the outset and for that reason, I have every confidence the market will appreciate our offering.”

Munich Re Specialty’s Australian business will be headquartered in Sydney, an existing hub for Munich Re’s expertise in corporate and reinsurance solutions. Munich Re Specialty will continue to build its local underwriting, claims and distribution capabilities to support its growth ambitions. The market entry builds on Munich Re Specialty’s existing presence in the Asia Pacific region with offices in Singapore, Malaysia and Dubai.

• Prior to joining Munich Re Specialty, Chris Mackinnon spent nine years as Lloyd’s General Representative in Australia, before moving to Singapore in 2024 to take on a new role as Regional Director for Lloyd’s across the Asia Pacific, Middle East and African regions. Chris has previously served as a Director of the Insurance Council of Australia, the Underwriting Agencies Council, and sat on the NSW Divisional Committee of the National Insurance Brokers Association.
• To support Munich Re Specialty’s growth objectives and lead day to day operations, Chris Harnett has been appointed Head of Underwriting, Angus Kench in the role of Head of Commercial Claims, and Alison Percival as Head of Partnerships.
• Learn more about Munich Re Specialty – Global Markets here.