HDI Global appoints Tobias Sigurdsson to Fine Art role

HDI Global has appointed Tobias Sigurdsson as Global Head of Fine Art & Specie, expanding its leadership in a specialist segment focused on high-value assets.

Sigurdsson will lead a business covering risks linked to museums, galleries and private collections, as well as cash, precious metals, jewellery and other valuables. His remit includes expanding the insurer's international presence and building local underwriting teams in key regions, including the London market.

The appointment is part of a broader push by HDI Global to grow its presence in specialty insurance lines, where underwriting often depends on specialist knowledge and access to local markets. Fine Art & Specie is one of commercial insurance's more niche areas, serving clients that need cover for mobile, valuable or difficult-to-price assets.

Before taking the new role, Sigurdsson was responsible for Cargo underwriting in the Nordics and for Specie underwriting globally. He has been involved in developing the group's Cargo and Specie business since joining in 2017.

He brings more than 20 years of experience in Marine and Specialty insurance. His career in marine insurance began in 2002 after legal studies at Uppsala University and further specialisation in maritime law at the University of Oslo.

Alongside executive roles, he has served on international cargo insurance committees, combining underwriting management with industry representation. That background is relevant in a market where specialist insurers often rely on long-standing broker relationships and technical underwriting expertise to win business.

Specialty focus

Fine Art & Specie insurance has become an area of interest for insurers seeking growth outside standard commercial lines. Cover can range from permanent collections in museums and galleries to privately owned artworks in transit, and from bullion and banknotes to gemstones and luxury items held in storage or moving across borders.

These risks typically require close attention to security, transport arrangements, valuation and jurisdiction. Insurers competing in the segment often need both central expertise and underwriters in local markets who can work directly with brokers and clients on domestic risks.

Rafael Rebitzky, Global Head of Specialty Lines at HDI Global, outlined the company's view of the segment and Sigurdsson's appointment.

"Fine Art & Specie is a highly specialised line of business where expertise, underwriting discipline, and global reach are crucial," said Rafael Rebitzky, Global Head of Specialty Lines at HDI Global.

"I am therefore pleased to appoint Tobias as the head of our unit. Building on the strong development of our Specie portfolio in recent years, he and his team will now aim to further expand our capabilities and provide clients and brokers with even more bespoke solutions," Rebitzky said.

The comments indicate an effort to build on the Specie book already in place and use it as the base for a broader Fine Art & Specie operation. The London market remains important in this segment because it concentrates specialist brokers, underwriting talent and large international risks.

Global network

HDI Global operates across corporate and specialty insurance lines and serves small and medium-sized enterprises, industrial groups and multinational clients. The business has access to a network covering more than 200 countries and territories through branches, subsidiaries, affiliated companies and partners.

That international reach matters in Fine Art & Specie because insured assets are often stored, exhibited or transported across multiple jurisdictions. Multinational clients often seek policies that respond consistently across countries while remaining compliant with local insurance rules.

Its Corporate & Specialty division generated about EUR 10.3 billion in gross insurance revenue in 2025 and employed more than 5,500 people. HDI Global is part of the Talanx Group, which is listed in Frankfurt's MDAX index.

Sigurdsson said the unit would focus on supporting clients with complex risks across markets.

"I am honoured and excited to take on the role of Global Head of Fine Art & Specie. Together with my team, we will support clients in protecting complex and high-value risks worldwide. Fine Art & Specie is a line of business that calls for bespoke solutions, and we are more than capable of delivering these as a trusted Partner in Transformation for our clients and brokers," said Sigurdsson.