Verisk Unifies Underwriting and Claims Businesses Under New General Insurance UK & Ireland Business Unit, Appoints Chris Sawford as Managing Director

March 17, 2026 / 2 min read

LONDON — 17 March, 2026 — Verisk (Nasdaq: VRSK), a leading strategic data analytics and technology partner to the global insurance industry, today announced the formation of Verisk General Insurance UK & Ireland. This makes it easier for clients to discover the company’s robust offerings across underwriting, claims and policy administration solutions to support more informed and data-driven decision making across the insurance market.

Chris Sawford has been appointed Managing Director, Verisk General Insurance UK & Ireland, effective immediately. He oversees the business – which brings together International Underwriting, Property and Risk (IUPR), Claims UK, and Ignite. This new structure is designed to strengthen connectivity across the insurance industry and deepen collaboration with insurers as they navigate an increasingly complex risk environment.

Sawford previously led Verisk’s Claims UK business, working closely with insurers to address operational challenges and support industry-wide efforts to advance claims practices and decision making. Sawford co-founded Validus-IVC, a top provider of claims management solutions in the UK, which Verisk acquired in 2018.

“Insurers today are balancing rising risk complexity with increasing expectations for speed, accuracy, and resilience,” said Chris Sawford, managing director, general insurance UK & Ireland, Verisk. “This realignment enhances our capability to enable insurers to make more confident, insight-led decisions across the insurance lifecycle—helping them price risk more effectively, manage claims more efficiently, and ultimately deliver better outcomes for policyholders in a rapidly changing market.”

“With Chris leading this integrated organisation, we’re positioned to strengthen collaboration across the market and accelerate innovation with the aim of helping insurers adapt to emerging risks while improving trust, protection, and value for policyholders,” said Tim Rayner, CEO of general insurance for UK & Ireland and specialty business solutions, Verisk.

Capabilities and solutions from Verisk General Insurance UK & Ireland include:

Connected claims capabilities that help insurers manage operational complexity, strengthen fraud detection, and drive more consistent outcomes across the claims lifecycle.
Underwriting, property and risk intelligence (IUPR) helps insurers assess property, motor, and commercial risks using enriched data, peril insights, and location‑based risk indicators to support more informed risk selection.
Policy administration and lifecycle management capabilities (Ignite) that support insurers in managing policies more efficiently across the end‑to‑end insurance lifecycle, helping streamline workflows and improve operational consistency.

About Verisk
Verisk (Nasdaq: VRSK) is a leading strategic data analytics and technology partner to the global insurance industry. It empowers clients to strengthen operating efficiency, improve underwriting and claims outcomes, combat fraud and make informed decisions about global risks, including climate change, catastrophic events, sustainability and political issues. Through advanced data analytics, software, scientific research and deep industry knowledge, Verisk helps build global resilience for individuals, communities and businesses. With teams across more than 20 countries, Verisk consistently earns certification by Great Place to Work. For more, visit Verisk.com and the Verisk Newsroom.

Media contact

Mary Keller
Verisk
339-832-7048
mary.keller@verisk.com