HBC Group, one of the leading insurance intermediary groups in the German-speaking region, has acquired DUPI Underwriting Agencies Nordics A/S (DUAN), a Danish underwriting agency based in Copenhagen. The integration of DUAN further strengthens HBC’s international marine expertise and expands its presence in the Nordic region.
Founded in 2017, DUAN has quickly established itself as a leading provider of Marine Hull and Renewable Energy insurance in Denmark. As a Lloyd’s Coverholder, the company collaborates with a well-established network of brokers across the Nordics. With an experienced management team and over 50 years of combined industry experience, DUAN brings strong expertise in underwriting, claims handling under the Nordic Plan, and disciplined risk management.
“With DUAN, we are welcoming a highly professional team that perfectly complements our international marine expertise,” says Gert Schlossmacher, CEO of HBC Group. “Together, we will build an even stronger foundation for growth, quality, and trust across this important market.”
This acquisition represents another important step in our strategy to expand a diversified specialty MGA offering within the HBC Group. It further enhances our underwriting and risk-management expertise and strengthens our ability to deliver innovative products that meet the evolving needs of our clients and the broader market.
Dr. Sebastian Friese, CFO HBC Group
“DUAN is a strong and respected Nordic agency, particularly in Marine Hull. However, the Nordic market does not offer the construction development that aligns with SMABTP’s historical expertise and our strategic ambition to build a European multiline insurer. For this reason, and in full alignment with the minority shareholders, we agreed that DUAN would realize its full potential with a shareholder whose strategy is fully adapted to the Nordic market. We believe this transition will support DUAN’s next phase of growth while preserving the strengths the team has built.”
— Hervé Leblanc, Deputy CEO, International and Key Accounts, SMABTP Group, unique shareholder
— Hervé Leblanc, stellvertretender CEO, International und Großkunden, SMABTP-Gruppe, Alleinaktionär
Peter Kegel CEO of DUPI group says “We are grateful for the professionalism and commitment of our Nordics colleagues over the years. We are confident they will continue to thrive with a shareholder fully aligned with the Nordic market. For DUPI, this transition allows us to focus our energy on developing our European multiline activities in the Netherlands and Belgium.”
Lars Hendriksen, Managing Director Nordics, adds: “Becoming part of HBC Group is a natural next step for us. We look forward to combining our local expertise with HBC’s international strength – for sustainable growth and real added value for our partners.”
DUAN was advised by MarshBerry during the divestment process.
With this transaction, HBC Group further expands its footprint in the international specialty insurance market. The Group’s marine MGA activities are now complemented by a strong unit in the Nordics – another step toward building an integrated, pan-European insurance platform.
