Chubb has launched its small commercial insurance division for North America.
The company said in a statement that the division brings together a team of product and service professionals to provide a range of management and professional liability and standard insurance coverages for small businesses with annual revenues up to $10 million. Chubb small commercial insurance, which already has an offering of financial lines solutions, will release an enhanced business owner policy (“BOP”) and supporting umbrella in the U.S. later in 2016, to serve independent agents and brokers and their small business clients, the company added.
Jim Williamson is president of the new division and will report to Paul J. Krump, the president of North American commercial and personal lines. Prior to ACE's acquisition of Chubb in January 2016, Mr. Williamson was division president of ACE private risk services.
“The depth of small commercial experience encompassed by our new leadership team combined with the capabilities that Chubb can bring to the small commercial market is a powerful proposition,” said Mr. Williamson. “Under this team's guidance, the small commercial insurance division will deliver superior risk solutions for smaller businesses through our extensive network of independent agents and brokers.”
The following division leaders will report to Mr. Williamson:
- Michelle Middleton will serve as chief operating officer. She was previously Eastern territory underwriting center branch manager and senior vice president of Chubb & Son, and held a variety of other leadership roles with Chubb for nearly 30 years. Reporting to Ms. Middleton are:
- Carla Owens will be the financial and professional lines leader. Previously, she served as vice president and small business solutions program manager for Chubb Specialty. She has 15 years of industry experience.
- Michelle Shaver will be the business owner policy product leader. She previously was senior vice president for commercial risk services at ACE Limited, and has more than 25 years of insurance experience.
- B.C. Verniero will lead platform development. He formerly was senior vice president of Chubb & Son, and senior manager for business partner services, IT strategy, and operations. He has more than 30 years of insurance industry experience.
- Jon Farber will be technology and life sciences product leader. He previously served as senior vice president of technology and life sciences at ACE Limited, and has more than 25 years of insurance experience. Reporting to Mr. Farber is:
-Patrick Thielen will be cyber product Leader and will support product and underwriting initiatives in technology and life sciences. Previously, he served as vice president for technology and life sciences underwriting at ACE Limited. He has nearly 15 years of insurance experience.
- Jay Weber will serve as head of sales. He joined Chubb from The Hartford, where he held multiple sales, product, and distribution leadership roles. Before that, he served in several roles with Travelers.
- Dean Brown will head up analytics and marketing. He most recently served as vice president of business analytics at ACE private risk services, and has prior industry experience with Aon and Deloitte Consulting.
- Tom Van Pelt will be division finance officer. He previously was division finance officer for Chubb global accident and health, and has been with Chubb for nearly 15 years.
- Jim Healey will lead the actuarial department. He most recently managed Chubb's corporate catastrophe modeling unit, and has nearly 15 years of insurance industry experience in a variety of actuarial pricing, predictive modeling, and catastrophe modeling roles.
- Charles Silla will be head of human resources. He most recently was senior vice president of human resources at ACE Limited.
Learn more: www.new.chubb.com.

