XL Insurance, Bermuda-based XL Capital Ltd.'s global insurance operation, yesterday announced the opening of its new regional office in Atlanta, Georgia.

Located in the Buckhead District at 3525 Piedmont Road, 7 Piedmont Center, the new office will provide insurance agents, brokers and their clients in the area with local access to XL Insurance's property, casualty, professional and specialty insurance coverages both in the US and abroad.

According to Gary Bakalar, XL Insurance's regional executive: "Atlanta is an important economic centre for the southeast of the US and home to many Fortune 1000 and 500 companies. These businesses require access to domestic and international risk management expertise."

Diann Jones, XL Insurance's Business Development Director for the Southeast, who will be based in the new office, said: "Atlanta and the surrounding region are home to many diverse industries, from service firms and financial institutions to manufacturing and global shipping companies. Fortunately, XL Insurance's product portfolio is as diverse as the region's economic profile."

At XL Insurance's new office, Ms. Jones is joined by Senior Property Underwriter Kevin Holmes, Senior Claims Counsel Matthew Ford and XL Global Asset Protection Services' (XL GAPS) Regional Account Leader Joseph Lynch, who manages risk engineering services for XL Insurance and other businesses in the area.

The Atlanta office is one of more than 20 XL Insurance offices throughout North America including Toronto, Montreal, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Hartford, New York, Boston and Exton, Pennsylvania.