The Calliden insurance operations sold to Munich Re last year will be renamed Calibre Commercial Insurance, and there are plans to expand the group’s offering of specialty products.

“We want to roll out additional specialist middle-market sectors each year, rather than be a generalist writer,” new CEO Mike Hooton told insuranceNEWS.com.au.

Munich Re subsidiary Great Lakes Australia provides the security to Calibre, which for business pack will be up to $20 million. The middle market will have the potential to write larger risks with a minimum sum insured of $10 million.

Calliden was split up last December after Steadfast bought the company for its underwriting agencies and sold the general insurance operations to Munich Re.

That has led to speculation Calibre will favour Steadfast brokers, but Mr Hooton says the company is a “distribution agnostic”.

It will remain intermediary-focused and has invested substantially in technology.

Mr Hooton says the Munich Re-Great Lakes link has attracted brokers to the company.

Calliden is strong in scheme and affinity business, and he intends to develop this further.

An interview with Mr Hooton is in the February/March edition of Insurance News (the magazine).