Markel Group announced a partnership with Upfort, a cybersecurity platform that delivers AI‑powered, automated protection against common cyber threats. The deal will make Upfort Shield, a multi‑layer cyber defense platform, available to eligible U.S. cyber policyholders, giving them access to endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions that use behavioral analytics to reduce breach risk.
The collaboration aligns with Markel’s long‑term cyber strategy to provide innovative insurance solutions for middle‑market businesses. By offering Upfort Shield, Markel aims to broaden its underwriting appetite and deliver customized coverage as the cyber insurance market matures, while also strengthening its 360‑degree approach to cyber protection.
The partnership follows a strong Q4 2025 earnings report in which Markel posted earnings per share of $48.75 versus an estimate of $27.33, and revenue of $4.00 billion versus an estimate of $3.64 billion. The combined ratio in the insurance segment improved to 92.9% from 95.9% in the prior year, giving the company a solid financial foundation to invest in strategic initiatives such as this partnership.
"Markel's relationship with Upfort helps strengthen our 360‑degree approach to cyber insurance protection and ensures we are there for our clients before, during and after a cyber incident," said Paul Melone, Executive Underwriting Officer, Professional Liability at Markel. "Providing businesses with tools that help them predict, prevent and recover from threats empowers them to stay resilient and confident in an increasingly complex digital environment," he added. Raphael Da Costa, Senior Director, U.S. Cyber and Tech at Markel, noted, "This collaboration aligns with Markel's long‑term cyber strategy to provide innovative insurance solutions for middle‑market businesses. It allows us to broaden our appetite, helping our policyholders strengthen their risk prevention, and position ourselves to deliver customized cyber coverage as the market continues to mature." Josh Riley, Co‑Founder of Upfort, said, "By deploying the full Upfort Shield platform, Markel is adopting a proven cybersecurity solution with a multi‑year track record of drastically reducing claim frequency."
"This collaboration can deliver market‑leading value to policyholders to help prevent cyberattacks while also equipping Markel with the actionable intelligence needed to lead the next era of data‑driven underwriting," Riley added.
The partnership is expected to reduce claim frequency and improve risk mitigation for Markel’s policyholders, potentially lowering loss ratios and supporting growth in specialty insurance lines. It also positions the company to offer tailored cyber coverage as the market matures, aligning with Markel’s focus on profitability and strategic transformation.
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