Finance
Zurich Insurance offers $10 billion to buy UK insurer Beazley
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on January 19, 2026
2 min readLast updated: January 19, 2026
Quick Summary
Zurich Insurance has increased its offer to acquire UK insurer Beazley to $10 billion, causing Beazley's shares to surge over 40%.
Zurich Insurance Increases Bid to Acquire UK Insurer Beazley
Zurich's Increased Offer for Beazley
Jan 19 (Reuters) - Swiss insurance company Zurich Insurance Group has raised its offer to buy rival speciality insurer Beazley to 1,280 pence per share in cash, it said on Monday, sending the British company's shares surging over 40%.
The latest offer values Beazley at about 7.67 billion pounds ($10.28 billion), according to Reuters' calculations.
The latest offer, representing a 56% premium to Beazley's last closing price of 820 pence, comes after Beazley's board rejected a previous bid of 1,230 pence on January 16, Zurich Insurance said, with the British company calling it a significant undervaluation.
Market Reaction to the Bid
Beazley's shares were the top percentage gainer across all London-listed stocks after Zurich Insurance's interest was made public, reflecting investor expectations that a transaction could materialise at an attractive premium.
Regulatory Timeline for the Offer
Under UK takeover rules, Zurich Insurance has until February 16 to announce a firm intention to make an offer or walk away.
Beazley did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
($1 = 0.7459 pounds)
(Reporting by Raechel Thankam Job in Bengaluru; additional reporting by Rishab Shaju; Editing by Harikrishnan Nair)
Key Takeaways
- •Zurich Insurance raises bid for Beazley to 1,280 pence per share.
- •The offer values Beazley at approximately $10.28 billion.
- •Beazley's shares surged over 40% following the announcement.
- •Zurich's offer represents a 56% premium over Beazley's last closing price.
- •Under UK rules, Zurich has until February 16 to finalize the offer.
Frequently Asked Questions about Zurich Insurance offers $10 billion to buy UK insurer Beazley
1What is an acquisition?
An acquisition is a corporate action in which one company purchases another company, gaining control over its assets and operations.
2What is market capitalization?
Market capitalization is the total market value of a company's outstanding shares, calculated by multiplying the share price by the total number of shares.
3What is a cash offer?
A cash offer is a proposal to purchase a company or asset for cash rather than stock or other forms of payment.
4What is a regulatory timeline?
A regulatory timeline outlines the key dates and deadlines for compliance with legal and regulatory requirements during a corporate transaction.
