Artio, a pioneer in insuring early-phase carbon projects, has been granted Lloyd’s coverholder status, enabling it to issue policies on behalf of the global insurance marketplace.
Backed by major insurers — Tokio Marine HCC, Markel, and Apollo — Artio is the only firm offering coverage before carbon project activities begin, addressing a critical gap in the market.
With carbon markets projected to reach $100 billion annually by the early 2030s, early-stage investment is growing rapidly — expected to hit $16 billion in 2024.
However, a lack of tailored insurance has slowed progress. Artio aims to change that with a data-driven model that forecasts project delivery risk — including financial, climatic, political, and technical factors — and underwrites it upfront.
Lloyd’s authorization gives Artio global reach and legitimacy, supporting a growing trend among carbon buyers to secure high-quality credits early, at scale and lower cost.
“Securing Lloyd’s coverholder status is a significant milestone,” said Bilal Hussain, co-founder and CEO.
“Carbon buyers are ready to back high-quality climate solutions, but uncertainty at the earliest stages continues to hold back critical capital flows. By providing cover before projects even begin, we’re helping create the conditions needed to accelerate the scaling of this market.”
Relevant: Tokio Marine HCC International, Markel & Apollo Back Artio To Launch Early Stage Carbon Insurance
The company currently insures afforestation, reforestation, and revegetation (ARR) projects, as well as biochar initiatives, and plans to expand into direct air capture (DAC) and enhanced rock weathering (ERW) in 2025.
Artio was founded by Bilal Hussain and Ibrahim Sarwar, veterans of Bloomberg, Deloitte, and Sylvera.
They are joined by Zurich’s former Chief Climate Product Officer, Lindene Patton, who serves as Non-Executive Director and brings expertise in climate risk and insurance innovation.
By reducing risk in the earliest phases of carbon project development, Artio hopes to catalyze investment and accelerate progress toward global climate goals.
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