What is Lloyd's?
When we talk of Lloyd’s, we’re really referring to two distinct parts. The market, which is made up of many independent businesses, and the Corporation of Lloyd’s, which is there – broadly speaking – to oversee that market.
These parts are distinct, but far from independent. Both work closely to maintain high standards of performance across the market. We’ll explore more about both the Corporation and the market, and about how it works as a whole, on other pages. You can also see how Lloyd's works when faced with a particular scenario, such as a hurricane, in our interactive Explorer Tool.
Tackling the world's toughest risks
If there’s one thing that defines Lloyd’s, it is our legendary appetite for risk. Where there is an unusual or tough risk, the chances are that Lloyd’s will be able to insure it. It’s an attitude that dates right back to when we first began. How many other organisations could say that they’ve been involved with naval battles, sports tournaments and space shuttle launches? Or that they helped rebuild a city devastated by earthquakes? But the time and place for a stroll through our history is elsewhere.
Lloyd's today
Lloyd's is a great British institution that has flourished over the years into a truly global, £16bn* business. These days, we are trusted by over 90% of both the FTSE 100 and Dow Jones index to provide world-class insurance. We are given high ratings of security by ratings agencies Standard & Poor’s and Fitch (which both rate us A+), and by A. M. Best (which gave us an A). And at the end of 2008, the net assets of the Lloyd’s Central Fund, which serves as security for Lloyd’s policies, stood at £2,072m* - bucking the economic downturn significantly. In other words, we are strong not only in reputation but also in resources.
*Source: Lloyd’s Annual Report 2008
