Ignyte Insurance launches to accelerate growth in specialty insurance

Ignyte Insurance has officially launched as a specialty insurance platform focused on acquiring, scaling, and accelerating high-performing insurance brands in niche markets globally.

Led by Geof McKernan, Bill McKernan and Marc Castellucci, the launch follows the recent sale of NSM Insurance Group’s U.S. commercial business to New Mountain Capital.

With decades of experience in building and scaling successful insurance platforms, the leadership team aims to deliver innovative, customer-focused solutions across niche markets worldwide.

The company’s growth strategy is powered by a proven acquisition model, strong underwriting expertise, and a disciplined investment approach.

“Today marks an exciting new chapter,” said Geof McKernan, CEO of Ignyte Insurance. “Ignyte represents more than a name — it embodies the entrepreneurial spirit, innovation and grit that have fueled our growth for over three decades. Others may turn away from unique or complex niche industries — but we run toward them. We’re laser-focused on identifying high-performing companies and sectors, and helping them scale through differentiated strategies, technology and talent. We’ve built a world-class platform — and now, we’re ready to go even further and faster.”

Ignyte includes a growing portfolio of specialty insurance brands spanning collector car, travel medical, international student health, leased equipment and other embedded insurance products.

Supported by scalable capital, advanced technology, and deep operational support, Ignyte enables its portfolio companies to grow, innovate, and deliver high-quality service. Collectively, they manage over $650 million in premium and serve millions of customers across the U.S., UK, Europe, and Australia.

Bill McKernan, President of Ignyte Insurance, added, “We’re incredibly proud of what we built at NSM Insurance Group over the past 35 years, but it was time to take on a new challenge.

“We’ve proven our ability to build and scale successful companies, and with Ignyte, we’re ready to take that to the next level. The opportunity ahead is massive.

“And why the ‘Y’ in Ignyte? Because we don’t follow the crowd. We build brands that defy expectations, uncover untapped potential, and deliver something truly different. We’re building something extraordinary — and we’re just getting started.”