Lady Mayor of ‘insurance center of the world’ talks risk and resiliency in Miami

The medallion around Susan Langley’s neck reads “domine dirige nos” — Latin for Lord, guide us.

Except Langley is not a Lord. She is a Lady. She is the first to be called Lady Mayor of London, even though she is the third woman to hold the office.

Yes, it is a mayoral position. No, she is not the mayor of the City of London. The Lord, now Lady, Mayor of London represents the “Square Mile” in the center of London that includes the Bank of England, the London Stock Exchange and St. Paul’s Cathedral. It is also one of the traditional global centers of finance, especially insurance.

“ London is the insurance center for the world,” Langley told WLRN in a recent interview overlooking Biscayne Bay from the British Consulate in Miami. She then mentioned “nat cat” challenges in Florida, slipping into the jargon of her former profession — that of a global insurance executive.

Langley is the non-executive chair of Gallagher UK, one of the world’s largest insurance brokerages. She previously led Lloyd’s of London’s North American business and served in the UK’s conservative government before the liberal-leaning Labour Party won control in 2024.

She’s also a Dame, the British honorific title equivalent to a knighthood. Despite the titles and the travel version of the Livery Collar of Esses — the proper name for the medallion — Langley introduced herself as “Sue.”

“ When you look at the natural catastrophes challenges facing Florida,” she said, “I think that London always has been, and always will continue to be the perfect partner.”

Insurance risk oftentimes is bundled from different locations and priced in global marketplaces. The cost of insurance for insurance companies, called re-insurance, is one of the costs that impact the insurance rate Floridians pay.

“How can we make sure that properties are more resilient and less prone to the impacts of national catastrophe?” she said.

Florida lawmakers have made a series of changes to the home insurance market over the past several years in hopes of slowing fast-rising insurance premiums. However, no new reforms are expected out of the Legislature this year. Some insurers have reduced rates, which are different from insurance premiums.

Premiums are what homeowners pay to protect what is likely their biggest investment. Premiums are calculated based on an insurance rate and the amount of coverage. So when home values go up, insurance premiums can rise even if insurance rates hold steady or decline.

READ MORE: Will a lower insurance rate lead to lower premiums for Florida homeowners?

Florida expanded its My Safe Florida Home Program, helping eligible homeowners with grants up to $10,000 to install hurricane windows and doors. The Tampa Bay Times reported that tens of millions of dollars allocated to the program remain unspent.

Florida lawmakers and Gov. Ron DeSantis also have deleted references to climate change from state laws. A separate 2024 measure strips local governments from considering climate change when making energy policies.

Langley was diplomatic in her view of such efforts. “ I think you have to protect against any risk, no matter what it’s called,” she said. “I think words are just a label. I think climate resilience is really important. Energy security is really important and whatever it’s called, we need to protect against it.”

The Lady Mayor of London position does not negotiate trade deals or tackle tariffs, however, Langley describes the job as one of  ”no policy leavers, convening power, soft power” and she intends to use it during her one-year term.

Great Britain is responsible for about 3% of U.S. global trade. It is one trading partner that America enjoys a trade surplus with. The UK was the fourth largest trading partner through Miami International Airport in 2024, according to data from USTradeNumbers.com. It represents a much smaller portion of trade through PortMiami and Port Everglades.

Despite the volatility of tariffs imposed by Pres. Donald Trump, Langley said she heard “normal business discussions” with regional business owners during her visit to Miami.

“ I think the US and the UK always have had a deepened good relationship. I think we’ll continue to do so,” she said.