Space

The final frontier

It might be the final frontier for Star Trek fans but not for the London Market. We’ve been offering specialist cover for rockets, satellites and everything in between since 1965 when we insured Intelsat I, the world’s first commercial communications satellite.

In 2014, we were the insurers for Virgin Galactic’s space flight test rocket which broke up in flight and crashed in the Mojave Desert in California. This was a tragic and unexpected loss. But the market was able to settle pay compensation, worth tens of millions of dollars, in just five working days.

When disaster strikes, paying up fast helps make all the difference. In this case it enabled Virgin to extend its search to retrieve as much wreckage as possible and really understand what went wrong so it could make space travel safer in future.

Meet your risk expert Imge of an arrow
Blob shape
Simple half round circle Simple half round circle

Harry Picking

Assistant Underwriter

Graphic of an opening speech mark Graphic of a closing speech mark

I work with satellite operators, manufacturers and launch service providers to make sure that if something goes wrong with their technology, often worth hundreds of millions of dollars, then their businesses will not also crash financially...

Read Harry's profile Imge of an arrow

“If someone had told me when I left school that I would be working in the space industry five years later, I would have said they were mad”. Harry works with satellite operators, manufacturers and launch service providers to make sure that if something goes wrong with their technology, often worth hundreds of millions of dollars, then their businesses will not also crash financially.

Harry started his career working on the insurance of large cargo vessels and has also been involved in insuring aircraft, but three years ago he decided to specialise in space. As a space underwriter he works in a team that provides insurance for disasters occurring when a satellite launches, or if anything goes wrong once it is in orbit. “The frontiers of space are amazing and hearing what businesses are trying to achieve with satellites or through space exploration makes you realise how much we rely on the technology they deliver. But without someone to insure them against a launch or satellite failure, no one would ever invest in them. Insurance literally gets them off the ground.”

Harry left school after completing his A levels in 2012. Since then, he has learnt an enormous amount from others and from spending the time to understand the complexities of the risks. Harry also sees the value of professional qualifications, so is working towards his Chartered Insurance Institute exams which will give him a strong grounding in wider aspects of the insurance industry.

Getting to meet and understand the clients’ businesses is a vital part of understanding the risks they face, so there is a fair amount of travel involved. Harry says: “The most critical skill is the ability to build strong interpersonal relationships, not just with your team but with customers and brokers who bring in the business. That is what sets you apart and it also makes business a lot more fun.”

Jack Kenneally

Space Underwriter

Graphic of an opening speech mark Graphic of a closing speech mark

Getting under the skin of space businesses means understanding what they are trying to do. This means getting to visit world leading engineering facilities and learning about the latest in rocket and satellite technology. My most memorable trip was to Svalbard in the Arctic Circle to see a ground station communicating with satellites in polar orbit...

Read Jack's profile Imge of an arrow

After completing a Masters’ degree in Physics at Imperial College, London Jack knew that he was looking for a job where he could use his technical expertise in a business environment rather than being focused purely on engineering or manufacturing. “I had not thought about insurance and, if I had, I would probably have thought it a bit dull” he confessed. Nevertheless, a job advert for Occam Underwriting for their space team caught his eye and rest as they say is history.

“The great thing about this job is that it is not just about sitting at a computer – it is as much about the people and the business.” In order to get under the skin of the risks that space businesses face you need to see their facilities and understand what they are trying to do. In space insurance this means getting to visit world leading engineering facilities and learning about the latest in rocket and satellite technology. Jack’s most memorable trip was to Svalbard in the Arctic Circle to see a ground station communicating with satellites in polar orbit.

He joined the business seven years ago and has worked his way from an initial role looking at renewable energy to being part of their market-leading space team. “For me, joining a small business was really important so that I felt really part of the business and could not only see how it took risks, but also how you grow and develop a company.”

Jack started his career as an analyst so his background in maths and science meant he was able to look at the statistical analysis of an accident occurring to a satellite launch, or something going wrong once it was in orbit. This gave him experience understanding what price to charge for the insurance policy. It also gives him the confidence to talking to businesses who are at the cutting edge of modern engineering and technology.

Being part of a place like the London insurance market that specialises in risk makes for a dynamic working environment. “London is all about meeting people face to face, really building strong relationships with your business partners and having fun as well as working hard. Finding out how much it is about people as opposed to technology was a big surprise for me, but it was a good surprise!”.

FAQs

Graphic of a question mark

Have questions? We have lots of answers! Check out our carefully curated FAQ section, designed to help provide you with the right information.

Read our FAQs

Latest job opportunities

Posted 4 days ago

Summer Internship - Operations

London

Fixed Term

Posted 4 days ago

Finance Graduate Programme

London

Full Time

  • Finance

Posted 4 days ago

Graduate Programme

London

Full Time

  • Underwriters
  • Claims Professionals

Posted 4 days ago

Associate Claims Adjuster

London

Full Time

  • Claims Professionals

Posted 18 days ago

Actuarial Graduate Trainee Consultant Programme

Reigate

Full Time

  • Actuaries

Posted 32 days ago

Data And Analytics Graduate Programme

Swindon

Full Time

  • Data Analysts

Posted 4 days ago

Summer Internship - Underwriting

London

Fixed Term

  • Underwriters

Posted 4 days ago

Summer Internship - IT Software Engineer

Manchester

Fixed Term

  • IT

Posted 18 days ago

Data Scientist Graduate Programme

London

Full Time

  • IT

Posted 4 days ago

Summer Internship - Claims

London

Fixed Term

  • Claims Professionals

Posted 25 days ago

Underwriting & Claims Operations Apprenticeship

London

Full Time

  • Claims Professionals
  • Underwriters

Posted 4 days ago

Summer Internship - Finance

London

Fixed Term

  • Finance

Posted 32 days ago

General Insurance Actuarial Summer Internship

Birmingham

Fixed Term

  • Actuaries

Posted 25 days ago

Data Graduate Programme

London

Full Time

  • Finance
  • Data Analysts

Posted 4 days ago

IT – Reporting Engineer Summer Internship

London

Fixed Term

  • IT

Posted 15 days ago

Analytics Graduate Programme

London

Full Time

  • Data Analysts

Posted 10 days ago

Insurance Underwriting Graduate Programme

London

Full Time

  • Underwriters

Posted 15 days ago

Actuarial Graduate Programme

London

Full Time

  • Actuaries

Posted 10 days ago

Finance Graduate Programme

London

Full Time

  • Finance

Posted 10 days ago

Operations Graduate Programme

London

Full Time

  • Human Resources

Posted 10 days ago

Actuarial Graduate Programme

London

Full Time

  • Actuaries

Posted 32 days ago

Zurich Resilience Solutions (ZRS) Graduate Programme

Remote

Full Time

Posted 32 days ago

Zurich Resilience Solutions (ZRS) Summer Internship

Remote

Fixed Term

Posted 10 days ago

Data Graduate Programme

London

Full Time

  • Data Analysts

Posted 32 days ago

Data And Analytics Graduate Programme

London

Full Time

  • Data Analysts

Posted 32 days ago

Sustainable Energy (Underwriting) Graduate Development Programme

London

Full Time

  • Underwriters

Posted 32 days ago

Sustainable Energy (Underwriting) Internship Programme

London

Fixed Term

  • Underwriters

Posted 25 days ago

Technology Apprenticeship Programme

London

Full Time

  • IT

Posted 32 days ago

Change & Technology Management Graduate Programme

Swindon

Full Time

  • IT

Posted 32 days ago

Business Management Graduate Programme

Swindon

Full Time

  • Finance
  • Human Resources

Posted 32 days ago

Business Management Graduate Programme 

London

Full Time

  • Finance
  • Human Resources

Posted 32 days ago

Business Management Summer Internship

Swindon

Fixed Term

  • Finance
  • Human Resources

Posted 25 days ago

Underwriting Graduate Programme

London

Full Time

  • Underwriters

Posted 32 days ago

Business Management Summer Internship

London

Fixed Term

  • Finance
  • Human Resources

Posted 32 days ago

Accounting Industrial Placement Programme

Swindon

Fixed Term

  • Finance

Posted 32 days ago

Actuarial Summer Internship

Swindon

Full Time

  • Actuaries

Posted 25 days ago

Technology Graduate Programme

London

Full Time

  • IT

Posted 25 days ago

Finance Apprenticeship Programme

London

Full Time

  • Finance

Posted 32 days ago

Actuarial Industrial Placement Programme

Birmingham

Fixed Term

  • Actuaries

Posted 32 days ago

Actuarial Industrial Placement Programme

London

Fixed Term

  • Actuaries

Posted 25 days ago

Finance Graduate Programme

London

Full Time

  • Finance

Posted 32 days ago

Actuarial Graduate Programme

Birmingham

Full Time

  • Actuaries

Posted 25 days ago

Actuarial Graduate Programme

London

Full Time

  • Actuaries

Posted 25 days ago

Claims Business Management Graduate Programme

London

Full Time

  • Claims Professionals

Posted 25 days ago

Risk & Compliance Graduate Programme

London

Full Time

  • Law
  • Risk Modellers

Specialty Insurance podcasts

Hosted by Annabel Baker & Grace Starling

Emma White

Emma travels the world, visiting art museums and the homes of wealthy individuals as part of her work as a fine art and specie insurance underwriter.

Reasons to work in the London insurance market