HDI Global has appointed David Wilson (pictured above) to the newly created position of global head of claims energy & power, effective March 1.

The role is designed to bring claims operations into closer alignment with underwriting and risk functions across the insurer's energy & power unit.

Wilson, who will be based in London, joins from Allianz, where he spent more than 10 years. He will oversee claims activities across all of HDI Global's energy & power hubs and its wider global portfolio, reporting to Roman Felten, global head of claims.

The appointment comes as energy insurers navigate a bifurcated market. On the property side, abundant capacity has pushed rates down by double digits, with oversubscription now commonplace.

Casualty lines tell a different story: social inflation, nuclear verdicts and rising loss severity continue to tighten pricing, particularly in plaintiff-friendly US jurisdictions such as Texas and Louisiana, as noted by Amwins in its State of the Market report.

Willis has estimated that downstream energy losses have reached roughly $3.5 billion in the current cycle, largely concentrated in US refining. That figure already matches market premiums, putting clients with American exposure under heightened scrutiny.

Energy transition in focus

Wilson's mandate extends beyond conventional energy. In his own words, the role covers "technologies driving the transition," a segment gaining significant insurance relevance.

Swiss Re flagged a $26 billion insurance opportunity in clean energy, noting that global renewable capacity is expected to nearly double by 2030.

HDI Global is already active in this space. The insurer provides coverage for a geothermal heat energy project at MTU Aero Engines in Munich, while its startup arm, Prothinx, uses AI-driven predictive maintenance to monitor wind turbine facilities and detect anomalies in real time.

Still, the World Economic Forum has cautioned that scant historical data on new energy technologies, combined with uncertain regulation and erratic climate patterns, could lead to mispricing and outsized claims.

The appointment follows HDI Global's broader leadership refresh in the energy & power unit. Mark Mackay was recently named global head of energy & power, succeeding Franz Adamczyk, who held the role since 1981 and will remain as a senior advisor.

Dr. Barbara Klimaszewski-Blettner, an HDI Global executive board member, said Wilson's hire strengthens the company's ability "to act as the preferred partner in transformation" for clients and brokers worldwide.

Mackay added that the best outcomes come from "a fully connected approach" between underwriting and claims.