MSIG UK has hired Andrew Morris as head of construction, as reported by Insurance Business, a move that adds a new source of London Market company-paper capacity for construction risks.

MSIG UK, the UK arm of Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance, present in London since 1924, is adding construction and marine cargo to property and casualty capabilities it launched last year, according to Insurance Business.

Morris, who reports to Head of Non-Marine Paul Keaveney, was most recently head of construction at Zurich Commercial Insurance UK, while Leigh Meekings joins as head of marine from Everest Global Markets with more than 25 years of cargo underwriting experience.

The expansion forms part of parent Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance’s effort to strengthen its UK company market presence alongside Lloyd’s, including a dual-stamp capability launched with sister company MS Amlin in March 2025, Insurance Business reported, and MSIG UK said further appointments and details will follow in early 2027.

The softening market is the backdrop: Gallagher’s midyear update said the UK construction market has seen several quarters of softening but remains technically disciplined, with available capacity largely aligned with demand.

The same update said much of the new capacity that entered in 2025 is now fully mobilised, that the London market remains relatively cautious on capacity deployment, and that liability reductions remain modest rather than a race to the bottom.

Insurance Business, citing Gallagher, reported that rates on construction all risks continue to trend lower into 2026 and that new London entrants include Arch and Markel, while the pool of technically experienced construction underwriters remains limited.

GlobalData forecasts UK construction growth of 3.2% a year between 2027 and 2030, led by transport infrastructure, data centres and housing, according to an earlier Insurance Business report.

For the sector, a hire like Morris signals new insurers competing for construction business with experienced underwriters, which gives contractors and brokers more choice in a softening market, though Insurance Business noted that appetite and capacity are still to be confirmed.