Abbey Protection Group supplies legal and tax professional services and insurance, primarily to the SME market through two trading divisions Abbey Legal and Abbey Tax. Markel acquired Abbey at the beginning of 2014.

As Abbey Legal Protection, it offers both Before the Event (BTE) and After the Event (ATE) insurance.

It distributes ATE products through a network of solicitors and its BTE insurance products through insurance brokers and specialist affinity groups.

Abbey Legal Protection specialises in delivering bespoke solutions for businesses and professionals who have a particular legal need.

Abbey Legal’s services business trades as LHS Solicitors LLP, an SRA regulated legal practice. LHS has three core lines of business: providing high quality telephone legal advice, primarily to our insurance clients; a niche crime and regulatory department for professionals; and a full service commercial firm providing contentious and non-contentious legal services to its SME client base.

Abbey Tax’s core product is professional expenses insurance which is sold through 2,000 firms of accountants and reimburses the fees that are incurred on behalf of SMEs and high net worth Individuals who are subject to HMRC enquiry. These accountancy relationships are the platform which enables Abbey Tax to additionally provide a variety of tax consultancy services via its Abbey+ brand. These services are often provided on a contingency basis and have established Abbey Tax as the largest independent tax consultancy to accountants in the UK.

Before the Event (BTE) Insurance Specialists

Business Legal Protection Insurance comes in various forms. We believe that Abbey Legal Protection (ALP) is a leading 'one stop shop', however, we do not believe that one size fits all.

Clients may require a complete packaged solution that provides excellent all round cover. They may have specific areas of cover that need to be addressed or even a mix of covers with a different approach based on the risk management.

Abbey Legal Protection's partners can enhance their offering and optimise their income through access and the provision of a mix of ALP facilities, which together, delivers genuine added value, high quality comprehensive cover and exceptional information service.

Specialist knowledge within each of our niche units allows us to consistently deliver the best solutions to our partners. Our insurance expertise ensures the finest protection to help manage risk. We have the capabilities to deliver a range of solutions that can cover all eventualities. We are committed to providing the best solution for our customers and their clients, resulting in an unrivalled quality of delivery in the insurance and risk management market.

After the Event (ATE) Insurance

Abbey Legal Protection is a market leader in the provision of legal expenses insurance to the UK business and professional community. Our ATE division provides sustainable solutions to risk manage and insure against litigation risks. Creativity, innovation and a commitment to quality are the foundations of our success.

Our ability to understand your risk is central for us to be able to accurately assess the insurance cover you required. In order to facilitate this, we only use legally qualified personnel to risk assess and rate our premiums. We believe this provides us with a unique insight, enabling us to deliver a truly bespoke service.

The division also delivers a leading Personal Injury ATE insurance product via its Personal Injury Management Scheme (PIMS). Benefits include: 

The Group was founded in 1992 as a specialist insurance intermediary focused on the sales and underwriting of legal and professional fees insurance to businesses. As the Group has expanded, it has developed a range of complementary legal and professional services for its clients.

The Group consists of Abbey Protection Group Limited, Abbey Tax & Consulting Services Limited, Abbey Property Facilities Limited, LHS LLP and Howarth Lynch.

The Group retains a total of 290 staff operating out of seven locations nationwide. It distributes its services via a multi-channel network of insurance brokers, insurance companies, accountants, solicitors and affinity partners.

Markel Corporation is the ultimate holding company for the Group's companies.

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About Markel International

Markel International is a subsidiary of Markel Corporation, a US-based holding company for insurance and investment operations around the world, that trades on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MKL), has $25.2 billion of combined assets and $7.6 billion of shareholders’ equity. In 2014 Markel Corporation wrote gross premium of $4.8 billion.

Markel International is an international insurance company which looks after the commercial insurance needs of major businesses, SMEs, professionals and sole traders. Operating through ten divisions and with offices in 17 countries, it underwrites insurance and reinsurance risks through Syndicate 3000 at Lloyd’s, Markel International Insurance Company Limited (MIICL) and Markel Resseguradora do Brasil S.A.

MIICL is licensed for insurance in all EU and numerous other overseas territories while Syndicate 3000 benefits from Lloyd’s global licences and can write insurance and reinsurance worldwide.

Markel International also manages the business of Abbey Protection Group which provides legal and professional fees insurance cover as well as legal, tax and human resources consultancy services.

In 2014 Markel International wrote gross premiums of around $1.2 billion.

Licences and regulation

MIICL is licensed for insurance in all EU countries; MIICL can also write insurance in a number of other overseas territories, as well as reinsurance in most countries around the world. Markel Syndicate 3000, whose Lloyd's managing agent is Markel Syndicate Management Limited, benefits from the Lloyd's global licences and therefore can write insurance and reinsurance business worldwide.

Both Markel International Insurance Company Limited and Markel Syndicate Management Limited are authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

Markel Style

• 'Markel Style' is how we do business; it's our vision and values, our code of behaviour, and it governs all our actions.

• Markel has a commitment to success. We believe in hard work and a zealous pursuit of excellence while keeping a sense of humour. Our creed is honesty and fairness in all our dealings.

• The Markel way is to seek to be a market leader in each of our pursuits. We seek to know our customers' needs and to provide our customers with quality products and service.

• Our pledge to our shareholders is that we will build the financial value of our company. We respect our relationship with our suppliers and have a commitment to our communities.

• We are encouraged to look for a better way to do things... to challenge management. We have the ability to make decisions or alter a course quickly. The Markel approach is one of spontaneity and flexibility. This requires a respect for authority but a disdain of bureaucracy.

• At Markel we hold the individual's right to self-determination in the highest light, providing an atmosphere in which people can reach their personal potential. Being results-oriented, we are willing to put aside individual concerns in the spirit of team work to achieve success.

• Above all, we enjoy what we are doing. There is excitement at Markel, one that comes from innovating, creating, striving for a better way, sharing success with others...winning.