CORE SPECIALTY

Specialty insurance built on deep underwriting expertise, local autonomy, and disciplined niche market focus.

Specialty Solutions

Overview

Core Specialty is a Cincinnati-based specialty insurance holding company founded in 2020 through the recapitalization of StarStone U.S. Holdings. Backed by SkyKnight Capital, Dragoneer Investment Group, and Aquiline Capital Partners, the company was built to address the growing demand for specialty and excess-and-surplus (E&S) lines coverage across niche commercial markets. Under President and CEO Jeff Consolino -- a former EVP and CFO of American Financial Group -- Core Specialty operates through more than 16 specialty business units, each granted local autonomy for underwriting and claims decisions.

The company distributes products through retail and wholesale brokers, focusing on small to mid-sized businesses with hard-to-place risks. Core Specialty has grown rapidly since inception through a series of strategic acquisitions, including the 2022 purchase of Hallmark Financial's E&S operations and multiple 2025 transactions adding London Aviation Underwriters, Argo Group's professional lines renewal rights, and American National Group's Specialty Markets Group. AM Best affirmed an A (Excellent) financial strength rating for all operating subsidiaries in October 2025.

As of early 2025, Core Specialty added 200+ employees in Cincinnati in a major downtown expansion, reflecting its trajectory toward becoming a large-scale specialty insurer. The company has signaled an IPO preparation phase as it continues its growth trajectory.

Products & Services

Property and Short-Tail

Key Features

Agriculture
Aviation and Aerospace (including London Aviation Underwriters, acquired January 2025)
Equine
Marine and Energy
Property

Specialty Casualty

Key Features

Commercial Auto (Lancer brand)
Directors and Officers (D&O)
Errors and Omissions (E&O)
Excess Casualty
Healthcare Professional Liability
Medical Stop-Loss
Primary Casualty
Workers Compensation
Contract Binding

Financial Services and Bonds

Key Features

Financial Services (formed from American National Group Specialty Markets Group, 2025)
Mortgage Reinsurance
Commercial Surety
Contract Surety
Professional Lines (acquired from Argo Group, January 2025)