January 2009
Sara Valentine, Assistant Underwriter – Energy, was recently announced as Young Underwriter of the Year at the Insurance Day Awards 2008. While Tom Rowley, Class Underwriter, US Property, was placed as a highly commended runner up.

Sara joined Brit Insurance's energy team in 2002, intitially to assist basic bookkeeping duties. In six years, Sara has gained full underwriting authority in two classes of business and manages a team of underwriting assistants and modelling analysts.

Since gaining full underwriting authority in 2006, Sara has written the majority of our offshore energy policies. She is flag underwriter for our large renewable energy portfolio, where she is becoming one of the foremost industry experts.

Sara’s rise has been made at a spectacular pace, not unnoticed by assureds, brokers and competitors. Sara’s breadth of knowledge and responsibility over two distinct energy classes onshore and offshore, places her in a unique position, unequalled in the London market.

Tom Rowley joined Brit in 2003 and rose quickly to become Class Underwriter in 2006, which at the age of 25 made him the youngest Class Underwriter in the Lloyd’s Market. He is well-known and respected within the US property market, a huge achievement considering the relative age and experience of his peers.

Young Underwriter of the Year is awarded to “a star of the future; someone with a good knowledge and understanding