Nautilus Marine Insurance Agency – managed by former managers of top-performing Allianz Australia subsidiary Club Marine – will be launched on the Australian market on September 1.

But the launch isn’t going to be without some uncertainty, because Allianz is understood to be taking legal action against the new competitor.

Former Club Marine CEO Paul Wilson, National Sales and Distribution Manager Mark Crockford and National Administrations and Underwriting Manager Wendy Dudley left the company earlier this year amid some controversy.

Mr Wilson says he is now the MD of Nautilus, while Mr Crockford is National Marketing Manager and Ms Dudley Operations Manager.

He told Sunrise Exchange News yesterday that “Allianz have a legal course that they believe is the best path to follow”.

A spokesman for Allianz Australia declined to comment yesterday on the likelihood of legal action and what form that might take.

Mr Wilson says the managers of Nautilus have been working tirelessly to meet the September 1 launch date and he is still very keen to target the same market as Club Marine. But he expects “a modest level of premium” in the first year.

The Melbourne-based agency now has seven full-time staff in the administration and IT areas and there is a possibility of recruiting more middle management staff within the next month.

Mr Wilson plans to open offices in most states by the end of the year. He is being backed by South Africa’s Hollard Insurance.