DUBAI (Bloomberg) ? Lancashire Holdings Ltd., a Bermuda-based insurer, plans to open an office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to help increase sales in the Middle East.

?Having a presence in the Middle East will allow the Lancashire Group to grow a solid book of business that will complement our existing underwriting,? Lancashire chief executive officer Richard Brindle said yesterday.

The insurer applied for a licence from the Dubai International Financial Centre, or DIFC, a tax-free cluster of buildings operating under a Western-style regulator that Dubai uses to attract international banks and asset managers.

Lancashire plans ?to write non-catastrophe exposed engineering risks? in the Middle East and ?other lines such as energy?, according to the statement.

Lancashire in December raised about $1.03 billion through the sale of stock and other securities in an initial offering to trade its shares on London?s Alternative Investment Market.

The company, which provides aviation, marine and property insurance, had premiums of $316.3 million in the first half.