Ascot has appointment Joy LaHuta as senior vice-president and head of claims, Bermuda.

She will collaborate closely with Ascot’s Bermuda leadership team and underwriting leaders to deliver specialised claims expertise in support of Ascot’s Bermuda platform.

Ms LaHuta will also support strategic claims initiatives, including working closely with actuarial and risk management functions within Ascot Group. She will oversee claims handling for excess casualty, healthcare and management liability insurances as well as casualty treaty reinsurance.

Ms LaHuta joined Ascot from RenaissanceRe, where she most recently held the position of vice-president and head of claims, leading teams in Bermuda, Zurich, Australia, and Singapore. Prior to RenRe, she led the excess casualty, healthcare, and professional lines claims team for Iron-Starr Excess Agency. Her claims career began in 2003 at AIG in New York with AIG Environmental before moving to Bermuda with Torus Insurance in 2009.

Ian Thompson, Ascot’s chief underwriting officer, casualty and specialty, said: “As we increase our capabilities in Bermuda, we’re delighted to welcome Joy to Ascot. Our presence on the island now constitutes multiple platforms with solutions available across a broad range of insurance, reinsurance and alternative capital vehicles. The addition of Joy, with her significant expertise and deep industry knowledge, helps us to offer broader capabilities to our brokers and clients in Bermuda.”

Ms LaHuta said: “I’m very excited to join Ascot at this notable time in the company’s growth trajectory. Their Bermuda business has significantly expanded in recent years and I look forward to working with the underwriting teams on the island to enhance Ascot’s offering.”