High Court Approves Zurich Insurance Group's £8.1 Billion Beazley Acquisition

The High Court of England and Wales approved the £8.1 billion acquisition of Beazley by Zurich Insurance Group on September 22, 2026. Mrs Justice Joanna Smith sanctioned the scheme of arrangement, stating she was satisfied that the requirements for the exercise of her discretion were met and noting that no objections were raised during the proceedings.

Under the terms of the deal, Beazley shareholders will receive £13.10 in cash per share and a permitted dividend of up to 25 pence per share. This offer represents a 59.8% premium over the closing price from January 16, 2026. Zurich had previously confirmed on September 14 that all necessary regulatory approvals were satisfied.

The transaction is expected to take effect on October 1, 2026. Zurich plans to integrate Beazley's Lloyd's platform and its expertise in marine, cyber, and specialty lines into a new global specialty division based in London. The company expects the combined entity to write approximately $15 billion in specialty gross written premiums.