Insurance holding company W. R. Berkley Corporation has merged Verus Specialty Insurance and Vela Insurance Services under a shared leadership structure to create a new specialty insurance business called Berkley Meridian.
The new business will be led by Marlo M. Morrison as President, and combines the underwriting capabilities, leadership talent, and expertise across construction, professional liability, garage, casualty, and other specialty lines with a continued focus on the excess and surplus (E&S) wholesale broker market.
Berkley Meridian is being built on a foundation of disciplined underwriting and specialised expertise, to help brokers and clients navigate complexity with clarity, confidence, and consistency, explained the firm.
The parent organisation confirms that the integration of the two units has already begun and is expected to continue into early 2027, while maintaining strong underwriting discipline and delivering a more consistent, predictable, and efficient experience for both brokers and customers.
Morrison, who has nearly three decades of experience in the property and casualty insurance industry, joined Verus Specialty Insurance as President in 2019. She has a strong operations background and is skilled in both primary and excess liability, professional lines, and reinsurance, the firm explained.
W. Robert Berkley, Jr., Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President, W. R. Berkley Corporation, commented, “Berkley Meridian will create a powerful combination of two exceptional teams, allowing us to further leverage our expertise to provide a broader and deeper suite of solutions.
“Under Marlo’s leadership, distribution partners and customers can expect an unmatched combination of service, dedication, speed, and technology.”
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