Certa Insurance Partners

What Certa Insurance Partners does

Certa Insurance Partners is a London-headquartered, Lloyd's of London Coverholder (PIN 115403QSY) that underwrites bespoke tax and contingent risk insurance on behalf of Lloyd's syndicates — Beazley Syndicates 2623/623 for tax claims and Markel Syndicate 3000 for contingent claims. Founded in 2019, it is the only underwriting agency operating exclusively in this niche, providing insurance covering specific potential tax liabilities (including defense costs, interest and penalties) up to limits of £114m+ for tax and £25m+ for contingent risks, and up to £157m/€200m/$207m for non-US primary risks, with policy terms extending to 10 years to match statute-of-limitations periods. The firm serves corporate M&A transactions, private equity and real estate funds, corporate restructuring projects and insolvency practitioners, and has underwritten tax risks in over 30 jurisdictions globally.

The business is fundamentally a human-capital and relationship-driven underwriting agency rather than a technology platform. All underwriters are former tax lawyers or chartered accountants recruited from elite firms (Freshfields, Macfarlanes, Allen & Overy, Pinsent Masons, Nabarro, Bird & Bird, Deloitte, EY, Heuking, DLA Piper, Norton Rose Fulbright, Man Group, Bank of America, Beazley), and the firm has no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, APIs, integrations or proprietary technology products. Revenue is generated via one-off insurance premiums priced on a bespoke, quote-based model per policy, with no standardised pricing tiers. Distribution is primarily direct engagement with corporate clients, PE funds, real estate funds, insolvency practitioners and their legal/accounting advisors, supplemented by conference speaking, tax industry body participation, and content marketing through the company website.

Since 2019 Certa has expanded from London into Hamburg and Barcelona (under wholly-owned subsidiary TLI Certa Europe GmbH, with German §34d GewO registration) and is building a US presence. In October 2023, Markel Group Inc. acquired a 49% strategic stake to accelerate growth and expansion, and Markel Syndicate 3000 at Lloyd's subsequently took over handling of contingent claims. The firm is FCA-authorised via Movo Partnership Ltd (FCA ref 823503) and benefits from Lloyd's AA-/A-rated capacity and Central Fund backstop.

Name

Certa Insurance Partners

Legal name

Certa Insurance Partners Ltd

Website

https://certainsurance.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Certa Insurance Partners is a London-based Lloyd's Coverholder underwriting bespoke tax and contingent risk insurance for corporate M&A, private equity, real estate and restructuring clients across 30+ jurisdictions, with offices in the UK, Germany, Spain and the US.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Insurance (Tax and Contingent Risk)

NAICS

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

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Facultative Financial Lines Reinsurance (D&O, E&O, FI, Crime) (FSAOAFAF)

Keywords

• Tax insurance
• Contingent risk insurance
• Underwriting agency
• Lloyd's coverholder
• Tax liability insurance

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Insurance Premium Revenue: One-off premium payments for bespoke tax and contingent risk insurance policies. Policies are designed to match the applicable statute of limitations for up to 10 years. Premiums are calculated based on risk assessment of specific tax liabilities identified in commercial transactions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Certa Insurance Partners underwrites bespoke tax insurance policies covering specific potential tax liabilities arising in M&A transactions, real estate deals, group reorganisations and restructurings. As a Lloyd's Coverholder, it writes insurance on behalf of Lloyd's syndicates, providing tax and contingent risk coverage with limits over £114m for tax risks and £25m for contingent risks for terms of up to 10 years. Policies cover the tax itself, defence costs, interest, and penalties, and can include gross-up provisions where proceeds are taxed in the insured's hands.

Product overview

Certa Insurance Partners operates as a single unified product offering through an exclusive focus on tax and contingent risk insurance. The company functions as a Lloyd's Coverholder providing bespoke insurance policies designed to cover identified low-risk tax concerns and contingent risks. Tax Insurance policies cover specific potential tax liabilities in M&A or real estate transactions, with the ability to cover risks of over £114m for up to 10 years (limits up to £157m/€200m/$207m for non-US primary risks). Contingent Risk Insurance covers complementary contingent risks. The company underwrites on behalf of Lloyd's syndicates including Beazley and Markel, with claims handled through Lloyd's Claims Scheme. The company has offices in London, Germany, and Spain.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tax Insurance Bespoke insurance policies covering specific potential tax liabilities arising in M&A or real estate transactions, or where there is uncertainty in tax treatment of group reorganisations or restructurings. Covers the tax itself, costs of defending claims from tax authorities, and risk of interest and penalties. Coverage is structured to match the applicable statute of limitations for up to 10 years. Intended for corporate buyers, private equity funds, real estate funds, and insolvency practitioners dealing with tax uncertainty in commercial transactions.
• Contingent Risk Insurance Insurance products covering contingent risks that may arise in commercial transactions, complementing the tax insurance offering. Underwritten with policy limits over £25m and durations of up to 10 years. Backed by Markel Syndicate 3000 at Lloyd's.
• Lloyd's Coverholder Insurance Services As an approved Lloyd's of London Coverholder, Certa provides insurance policies backed by Lloyd's syndicates. Policyholders benefit from Lloyd's AA- (Very Strong) credit ratings from S&P and Fitch, A (Excellent) from A.M. Best, and the Lloyd's Central Fund protection.

Quantifiable outcome

• Policies available for tax risks over £114m and contingent risks over £25m
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Beazley: Lloyd's specialist insurer providing core tax claim capacity to Certa via Syndicates 2623/623. Functions as Certa's primary capacity partner and a related, but not directly competitive, specialty insurer.
• Markel Group: 49% strategic shareholder of Certa and capacity provider via Markel Syndicate 3000 at Lloyd's for Certa's contingent claims. Both a capital partner and a potential competitive force in adjacent specialty lines.
• Marsh: Global insurance broker and risk advisor that intermediates tax insurance placements alongside W&I, often acting as a distribution channel for Certa. Not a direct competitor but a key relationship and pipeline source.
• Aon: Global insurance broker with a dedicated tax insurance practice and M&A advisory offering. A primary distribution channel and competitor's channel rather than an underwriter, but central to tax insurance deal flow.

Direct peers

• Pembroke Managing Agency: Lloyd's managing agency where Certa's three co-founder Tax Insurance Directors previously wrote tax liability insurance from 2015. It is the most direct historical and operational peer in tax insurance underwriting at Lloyd's.
• Liberty Specialty Markets: Liberty Mutual's specialty arm and one of the most established underwriters of tax indemnity insurance globally. Competes with Certa for the same M&A and PE tax insurance mandates across multiple jurisdictions.

Broad incumbents

• Allianz Trade (Euler Hermes): The trade credit and specialty insurance arm of Allianz that underwrites tax and contingent risk solutions alongside its core trade credit book. It is a comparable incumbent with significantly larger capital and global distribution.
• AIG: Global insurer offering tax shield, tax indemnity and warranty & indemnity products through its specialty lines. Competes with Certa for large M&A tax insurance placements, particularly in the US and cross-border transactions.
• Chubb: Large global specialty insurer offering tax liability insurance and warranty & indemnity cover within its financial lines portfolio. A broad incumbent that overlaps with Certa's product set but across a much wider suite of coverages.
• Hiscox: Lloyd's-listed specialty insurer with financial lines and tax-related insurance products within its larger specialty portfolio. Operates in the same broker channel as Certa and offers overlapping solutions to corporate and PE clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/certainsurance

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

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 Certa Insurance Partners