Insurance Zurich submits purchase offer for British insurer Beazley
The Zurich Group is putting out feelers for the British specialty insurer Beazley. To this end, the insurance group is submitting an improved takeover offer to Beazley shareholders.
19.01.2026, 15:04
SDA
Zurich is now offering 1280 pence per Beazley share, as the Group announced on Monday. This corresponds to a premium of 56 percent over the closing price of Beazley shares on the London Stock Exchange last Friday.
According to Zurich, it had previously offered 1230 pence in cash per Beazley share. However, the British company's board of directors rejected this proposal at the end of last week as significantly undervalued.
It is not yet clear whether the deal will go through. Should this happen, it would create a global market leader in the specialty insurance sector with gross premiums of around USD 15 billion.
The transaction is in line with the strategic priorities presented at Zurich's Investor Day in November, according to the statement. The acquisition would be financed through existing cash, new debt instruments and a share placement. The acquisition is also expected to contribute to the achievement of Zurich's 2027 financial targets.
