Auto-Cycle Union unveils partnership with Berkshire Hathaway Specialty

The Auto-Cycle Union (ACU), which partly manages its insurance coverage through a captive, has appointed Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance as its new insurance provider.

The move follows what it called a “competitive renewal process” with 11 major insurers showing interest and four submitting formal proposals to work with the ACU. It said this was a marked change from previous years, “when options were limited and pricing pressure high due to limited interest or appetite from the insurance market”.

The change comes into effect from 1 November 2025 and follows an extensive two-year review of safety management and insurance arrangements across all ACU-permitted activities. This has also enabled a closer collaboration with its long-standing insurance broker, Lockton, it said.

Matthew Edwards-Wear, CEO of the Auto-Cycle Union, said: “On the eve of our last renewal, we were facing a significant premium increase with only one insurer willing to quote for the business. That’s something we had to change and were committed to addressing ahead of this renewal.

“Following a lot of hard work around our risk management activities and industry engagement, we’ve seen genuine competition return during the ACU’s renewal period. That tells us something important: motorcycle sport in the UK is not only viable, but insurable. That’s a real turning point and the package of benefits that comes with that will be felt at every level of the sport.”

The ACU, through its Captive Insurance, said it is also unique in UK motorcycle sport, providing further opportunities and resilience for the organisation going forward in what can be a volatile market.

“As part of our ongoing commitment to transition the ACU into an organisation that has a secure, long-term future, we pledged to help organisers manage and reduce their costs. This new insurance agreement will support that important mission because organisers are at the heart of everything we do,” Tim Lightfoot, ACU President, added.

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