AXIS Capital Holdings said that its AXIS Insurance division has created a design professionals & environmental liability unit in New Jersey, that will specialize in providing coverage for architects, engineers, contractors, consultants and other firms.

Richard Zarandona, who has recently joined AXIS Insurance as executive vice president of AXIS design professionals & environmental based will lead the new unit.

Mr Zarandona has nearly 30 years of industry experience and most recently served as head of Arch Insurance Group’s environmental and design professional division for eight years.

Prior to joining Arch, he had been vice president and director of Zurich North America’s architects and engineers and environmental consultants liability lines of business.

Jack Gressier, chairman of AXIS Insurance, said: “With demonstrated ability building Design Professional & Environmental Liability businesses successfully over the years, he is establishing a team of highly experienced specialists and working to develop the products and strategies that we will need to grow profitably in these selected niche markets over time.”

AXIS Capital is a Bermuda-based global provider of specialty lines insurance and treaty reinsurance with locations in Bermuda, the United States, Europe, Singapore, Canada and Australia.