What BPL Global does

BPL Global (legal entity: Berry Palmer & Lyle Limited) is a specialist credit and political risk insurance (CPRI) brokerage firm founded in 1983 and headquartered in London. The company operates exclusively in the CPRI segment, placing coverage that protects clients against credit default by buyers or obligors, political risks including expropriation and currency inconvertibility, sovereign default, and contract frustration. BPL serves four primary client segments: multinational corporations engaged in global trade and cross-border investment, financial institutions requiring CPRI for lending activities, global investors including private equity and sovereign wealth funds, and public agencies including export credit agencies and development finance institutions.

The firm operates through seven offices in London, Paris, New York, Geneva, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Tokyo, providing geographic coverage across all major CPRI markets. BPL earns revenue through commissions on insurance premiums placed on behalf of clients (transaction-fee model). The firm is majority employee-owned and independent, with Preservation Capital Partners taking a minority stake in March 2025. In 2025, BPL launched BPL Re, a reinsurance division that extends the firm's service offering beyond brokerage into direct risk assumption. The firm reports that many clients have been with BPL for over 25 years.

BPL does not disclose any proprietary technology platform or AI/ML capabilities. Its competitive position is built on specialist expertise accumulated over four decades, the largest broking team in the CPRI market, and long-term client relationships. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and CPRI coverage is tailored to individual client risk profiles. The firm's growth strategy appears oriented toward expanding the reinsurance offering and deepening global coverage, supported by recent PE capital.

Name

BPL Global

Legal name

Berry Palmer & Lyle Limited

Website

https://bpl-global.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

BPL Global is the world's leading specialist broker in credit and political risk insurance (CPRI), founded in 1983. The firm places CPRI coverage for multinational corporations, financial institutions, global investors, and public agencies through seven global offices, earning commission-based brokerage revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Insurance Brokerage (Credit and Political Risk)

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210), Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (5242)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Insurance Brokerage (Marine, Aviation, Cyber, Professional Lines) (FSAEADAJ)

Keywords

• Credit risk insurance
• Political risk insurance
• Insurance brokerage
• Trade credit insurance
• Reinsurance services

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Insurance Brokerage Commissions: BPL earns commissions from placing credit and political risk insurance (CPRI) coverage on behalf of clients. As a broker, the company facilitates transactions between buyers and insurers, earning a percentage of the premiums placed.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

BPL Global (Berry Palmer & Lyle) is a specialist insurance broker that places credit and political risk insurance (CPRI) coverage on behalf of multinational corporations, financial institutions, global investors, and public agencies. The firm brokers protection against buyer credit default, expropriation, political violence, currency inconvertibility, sovereign default, and contract frustration to facilitate cross-border trade, investment, and lending. In 2025 the company expanded into reinsurance via a new BPL Re division.

Product overview

BPL (Berry Palmer & Lyle) is a specialist Credit and Political Risk Insurance (CPRI) broker operating as a single integrated service offering. The company provides CPRI brokerage services exclusively, facilitating global trade, investment, and lending for multinational corporations, financial institutions, global investors, and public agencies. BPL recently launched "BPL Re" as an additional service. The company has been operating since 1983 and is majority employee-owned, with offices across London, Paris, New York, Singapore, Geneva, Hong Kong, and Tokyo.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BPL Re: Reinsurance operations for credit and political risk insurance launched in 2025.

Products and services

• Credit and Political Risk Insurance (CPRI) Brokerage Specialist insurance brokerage placing credit and political risk insurance coverage for multinational corporations, financial institutions, global investors, and public agencies. Coverage addresses buyer credit default, expropriation, political violence, currency inconvertibility, sovereign default, and contract frustration to facilitate global trade, investment, and lending.
• BPL Re Reinsurance operations for credit and political risk insurance, launched in 2025 as a new division of BPL Global based in London. BPL Re extends the firm's capability from broking into reinsurance structuring and capacity provision within the CPRI market.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Aon: Aon operates a global Credit and Political Risk practice within its broader commercial risk solutions, serving multinational corporates and financial institutions. While Aon is a diversified global broker, its CPRI team directly competes with BPL for placement mandates on large cross-border risks.
• WTW (Willis Towers Watson): WTW offers trade credit and political risk insurance brokerage through its Risk & Broking segment, serving enterprise clients with cross-border risk transfer needs. As a major global broker, WTW competes with BPL particularly in financial institution and large corporate mandates.
• Arthur J. Gallagher: Gallagher's Brokerage and Risk Management segment includes specialty insurance placement capabilities overlapping with BPL's CPRI offering. While broader in scope, Gallagher targets the same enterprise clients requiring political risk and trade credit solutions.
• Marsh Specialty (Marsh McLennan): Marsh McLennan's specialty division includes one of the largest credit and political risk insurance practices globally, competing directly with BPL for placement of CPRI coverage on multinational clients. While far larger and more diversified than BPL, Marsh Specialty overlaps significantly in CPRI broking for the same enterprise client base.

Direct peers

• Lockton: Lockton is the world's largest independent insurance broker with specialty practices including political risk and trade credit. Its independent ownership model mirrors BPL's employee-owned structure, and it competes for the same multinational corporate and institutional client base.
• Howden: Howden is a fast-growing specialty insurance broker with a dedicated Credit & Political Risk practice that competes head-to-head with BPL. Like BPL, Howden emphasizes specialist expertise and relationship-driven service, making it one of the closest direct competitors in the CPRI niche.
• Ed Broking: Ed Broking (part of the Ed Group) is a specialist Lloyd's broker with political risk and trade credit capabilities. Its specialty focus and London market presence make it a comparable boutique competitor to BPL in CPRI placement.
• McGill and Partners: McGill and Partners is a specialist (re)insurance broker with strong capabilities in political risk and credit insurance lines. Its specialist, partnership-based model makes it a closely comparable competitor for BPL in the high-end CPRI broking market.
• Price Forbes: Price Forbes is a London-based specialty insurance broker with capabilities in political risk and trade credit insurance, serving clients at Lloyd's and international markets. Its specialist focus and London base make it a directly comparable peer to BPL's CPRI brokerage.

Others

• MIGA (Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency): MIGA is a World Bank member that provides political risk insurance and credit enhancement to investors and lenders in developing countries. While not a broker, MIGA is a key CPRI capacity provider that BPL clients access and a counterparty in many political risk placements BPL facilitates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bpl_global

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BPL Global