HAMILTON, Bermuda, March 27, 2026, 15:13 ADT. 1
The Insurer reported on Friday that Arcadian Risk Capital had lined up former Hamilton Re executive Gavin Davis for a Bermuda property direct-and-facultative launch — cover written one risk at a time for commercial accounts — while Virgin Voyages said it would add a podcast-themed New York-to-Bermuda sailing in October. The moves are separate. They still tell a similar story: Bermuda is drawing fresh bets in insurance and travel. 2
That matters because Bermuda’s property D&F market is adding capacity in a softer pricing cycle, and travel brands are testing fan-led products instead of relying on a standard Bermuda itinerary. Brit Re launched its own Bermuda property D&F business in January, while Virgin said its new “On Air at Sea” format is meant to expand after a sold-out themed voyage last year. 3
Arcadian has not announced the hire. The Insurer, citing multiple senior market sources, said the Bermuda-based managing general agent, or MGA, had lined up Davis for the move. MGAs underwrite on behalf of carrier partners. Hamilton said in December that Davis would leave the firm after running its Bermuda property insurance business. 2
Arcadian has been broadening quickly. In February it hired Mark Butler to enter U.S. management liability and said it was nearing $2 billion in premium volume since its 2020 launch. Arcadian says it now operates across Bermuda, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States, and its 2023 company update said the SiriusPoint partnership had been extended through 2026. 4
Competition is already building. Brit said in January it would write U.S. and global property D&F from Bermuda, with office head Jonathan Stephenson calling the segment a “growing” part of the island’s commercial insurance market. 3
But the insurance push lands in a softer cycle. Howden Re said on March 17 that catastrophe losses have reset higher even as rates fall and capacity becomes more widely available; managing director Kyle Menendez said buyers still have leverage in what “remains a buyers’ market.” 5
On the travel side, Virgin Voyages and iHeartMedia said on Thursday they were launching “On Air at Sea,” starting with “Stuff at Sea,” a five-night round trip from New York City to Bermuda aboard Valiant Lady on Oct. 2, 2026. Virgin said the sailing will feature live recordings, behind-the-scenes sessions, meet-and-greets and themed shore activities tied to Stuff You Should Know, Stuff They Don’t Want You to Know and Stuff Mom Never Told You. 6
Stephen Hopkins, Virgin’s senior vice president of growth, said the format gives fans “something no algorithm can deliver: presence.” Debbie Cerrito, iHeartMedia’s senior vice president of business development, said the tie-up would turn the “Stuff” podcast universe into a “shared, lived experience.” PAX reported Virgin is pitching the concept as a way to reach new-to-cruise customers, which is where the model still has to prove it can scale. 6
For Bermuda, the read is straightforward. One bet is on underwriting talent and specialty capacity. The other is on niche leisure demand. Different sectors, same message: firms still see room to grow on the island. 2
