Artio, a firm specialising in insuring early-stage carbon offset projects, has been granted coverholder status by Lloyd’s, enabling it to issue insurance policies directly through the global insurance marketplace.
Supported by insurers including Tokio Marine HCC, Markel, and Apollo, Artio remains the only firm currently offering insurance for carbon projects before implementation begins—an area long considered a gap in the market. The firm underwrites delivery risk by using data models to assess financial, climatic, political, and technical factors.
With voluntary carbon markets expected to grow to $100 billion annually by the early 2030s, early-stage investment is also increasing and forecast to reach $16 billion in 2024. However, a lack of risk coverage has been a limiting factor for many investors.
The Lloyd’s designation provides Artio with international authorisation to support carbon buyers seeking to secure credits early, at scale, and with lower uncertainty.
Artio currently provides coverage for afforestation, reforestation, and revegetation (ARR) projects, as well as biochar. It plans to extend coverage to emerging technologies such as direct air capture (DAC) and enhanced rock weathering (ERW) from 2025.
“This authorisation from Lloyd’s allows us to play a more central role in building trust and certainty in the carbon markets,” said Bilal Hussain, co-founder and CEO of Artio. “Early-stage climate projects often face the highest risks and lowest levels of investment. By providing coverage at this critical stage, we aim to unlock much-needed capital and support more ambitious climate action.”
Artio aims to help unlock capital for early-phase carbon initiatives by reducing project risk, contributing to broader efforts to scale up climate solutions globally.
