Markel American Insurance Company
Markel American Insurance Company is a division of Markel Corporation focused on personal lines insurance. We specialize in motorcycle, watercraft property and other unique insurance products. By focusing on often under-served markets, we are able to provide unique coverage to groups of customers that need more than than may receive from a traditional insurer.
Markel American History
The history of Markel American Insurance Company begins in the early 1970s. At that time, it wasn't called Markel American, it was called American Underwriting Managers (AUM) and was an independently owned motorcycle underwriting manager in Waukesha, WI.
AUM Purchased
Gradually, other products such as snowmobiles, watercraft, mobile homes, travel trailers and golf carts were added and written for different insurance companies. Then, in 1989, AUM was sold to Shand Morahan Services in Evanston, IL. Shand Morahan (now Markel Shand) was founded in 1970 to address the need for professional liability insurance offered by and excess and surplus lines market. This excess and surplus lines insurance industry provides coverage for needs not addressed by the standard insurance market. Shand Morahan felt that the products offered by AUM would be a strong complement to their professional liability book of business-leading to the AUM acquisition.
Shand Morahan Acquired by Markel
Then, in 1991, Markel Corporation acquired Shand Services and all of its holdings (including AUM). Markel Corporation, an insurance holding company, writes specialty insurance products and programs for a variety of niche markets through its insurance subsidiaries.
In 1998, the Pewaukee division (Markel American) reached a premium volume level which allowed for its independence as a business division within Markel North America.
Since 1991, Markel American / AUM has thrived in writing specialty products and focusing efforts on underwriting profits and expense control.