Lloyd's of London, generally known simply as Lloyd's, is an insurance and reinsurance market located in London, United Kingdom. Unlike most of its competitors in the industry, it is not an insurance company; rather, Lloyd's is a corporate body governed by the Lloyd's Act 1871 and subsequent Acts of Parliament. It operates as a partially-mutualised marketplace within which multiple financial backers, grouped in syndicates, come together to pool and spread risk. These underwriters, or "members", are a collection of both corporations and private individuals, the latter being traditionally known as "Names".
The 1986 Lloyd's building in Lime Street, London
The Subscription Room in the early 19th century
The 1906 San Francisco earthquake caused substantial losses for Lloyd's underwriters.
The Council meets in the Committee Room, on the 11th floor of the Lloyd's building.
Insurance is a means of protection from financial loss in which, in exchange for a fee, a party agrees to compensate another party in the event of a certain loss, damage, or injury. It is a form of risk management, primarily used to protect against the risk of a contingent or uncertain loss.
An advertisement for a fire insurance company Norwich Union, showing the amount of assets in coverage and paid insurance (1910)
Merchants have sought methods to minimize risks since early times. Pictured, Governors of the Wine Merchant's Guild by Ferdinand Bol, c. 1680.
Leaflet promoting the National Insurance Act 1911
A wrecked vehicle in Copenhagen
