With an overall rating of 87.3%, the insurer secures its second Gold Award after previously being recognised in 2023. Pelagos Insurance Capital (formerly known as Fidelis Underwriting) and Aspen complete the top three, with several previous winners returning to the Gold Award ranks.
Based on our proprietary formula, the ratings assess insurers across three key pillars – combined operating ratio (COR), three-year aggregate COR, and improvement in COR over the last 12 months – with the top performers receiving an Insurance DataLab Gold Award.
Berkshire Hathaway International is joined on the list of UK Gold Award winners by Pelagos Insurance Capital (73.9%), Aspen (73.1%), Hiscox (72.9%), QBE (72.7%), Sabre (69.5%), Motors Insurance Company (68.9%) and Travelers (67.9%).
Strong profitability and returning winners
Berkshire Hathaway International reported a COR of just 52.0% for 2025/26, compared with 99.4% a year earlier, earning the maximum COR Improvement Rating of 95%. Its longer-term performance was also strong, with a three-year aggregate COR of 77.6%.
This combination of substantial improvement in its latest results and strong profitability over the past three years makes Berkshire Hathaway International a thoroughly deserving recipient of this year’s top ranking.
Second-placed Pelagos Insurance Capital receives its third Gold Award, having previously been recognised in 2021 and 2023. Its latest COR improved to 77.7% from 86.0% a year earlier, while its three-year aggregate COR stood at 84.3%.
Aspen completes the top three after reporting a COR of 75.6%, improving from 80.1% in the previous year and 86.6% two years earlier. Its three-year aggregate COR of 81.7% further underlined its consistently improving results.
Hiscox returns to the Gold Award ranks after last being recognised in 2024. Its annual COR improved from 80.0% to 77.3% and then 74.7% over the past three years, producing a three-year aggregate COR of 77.6% – jointly the strongest among this year’s UK winners. Sabre also returns after previously receiving a Gold Award in 2024.
Strong underwriting performance is about more than a single good year. By considering current profitability alongside longer-term results and improvement, our ratings look beyond annual peaks and troughs to provide a more robust assessment of underwriting excellence. The return of several previous winners also highlights the importance of this consistency.
Congratulations to Berkshire Hathaway International and all of this year’s UK Gold Award winners.
Meet the Best Insurers in UKGI
- Berkshire Hathaway International – 87.3%
- Pelagos Insurance Capital – 73.9%
- Aspen – 73.1%
- Hiscox – 72.9%
- QBE – 72.7%
- Sabre – 69.5%
- Motors Insurance Company – 68.9%
- Travelers – 67.9%
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