01 | FROM development to deployment
Insurance That Evolves With Your Technology
Insurance requirements change as defence technology moves from development into commercial production and operational deployment. The nature of the exposure, the underwriting markets willing to consider it and the coverage available can differ significantly at each stage.
Research & Development
During R&D, insurance considerations typically centre on intellectual property, software development, cybersecurity, contractual obligations and the protection of proprietary technology.
Companies may require Technology E&O, Cyber and Intellectual Property Insurance before generating meaningful commercial revenue, particularly where development agreements or third-party technology create contractual exposures.
PROTOTYPE & TESTING
Testing introduces exposures that may fall outside conventional technology insurance, particularly when physical equipment, flight operations or third-party property are involved.
Relevant considerations include prototype damage, flight testing, bodily injury, property damage, product failure and contractual responsibility for testing activities.
Specialist aerospace and aviation coverage may be required, depending on the technology, testing environment and operational arrangements.
Commercialization & Deployment
Commercial production and deployment introduce customer indemnities, product warranties, manufacturing liability, international sales and operational exposures.
For defence applications, military-use restrictions, war exclusions, territorial limitations and contractual insurance requirements can further complicate coverage.
A company manufacturing and selling defence systems may face substantially different underwriting considerations from one operating those systems in the field.
Our approach
Insurance programs should evolve alongside the technology, not simply increase in limit. Companies may also operate across several development stages simultaneously, requiring a coordinated approach.
02 | POLICY BOUNDRIES
Where Conventional Insurance Can Fall Short
Defence technology companies face a distinctive challenge: their exposures frequently cross the boundaries between insurance policies written for different industries.
A single incident involving an autonomous platform could potentially engage Technology E&O, Cyber, Products Liability, Marine, or Aviation insurance. Yet each policy may contain exclusions or restrictions that affect the availability of coverage.
Understanding these interactions is central to effective insurance program design.
03 | Specialist Insurance Solutions
Specialist Insurance Solutions for Defence Technology
Axis structures insurance programs around a company’s activities, contractual obligations and available underwriting capacity.
Our capabilities span Technology Errors & Omissions, Cyber Liability, Intellectual Property Insurance, Aviation & Aerospace Liability, Marine Liability, Products Liability, Directors & Officers Liability, Property & Business Interruption and International Insurance Programs.
These coverages are not interchangeable. For example, Technology E&O may address certain financial losses arising from technology failures, while Products Liability and Aviation policies may be needed for physical injury or damage. Cyber coverage may respond to specified security incidents but contain important restrictions for physical consequences, hostile acts or operational activities.
Our objective is to coordinate the relevant policies, address coverage limitations and structure an insurance program that effectively transfers the risks our clients face.
04 | Technical placement expertise
Specialist Underwriting Access & Technical Placement Expertise
For complex defence technology risks, identifying available insurance capacity is only the beginning.
Effective insurance placement requires a detailed understanding of underwriting appetite, policy definitions, exclusions, contractual obligations and the interaction between different coverage classes.
Axis works across Canadian, US and London insurance markets to structure sophisticated programs for companies operating in complex and emerging industries.
Specialist Market Selection
Identifying underwriting markets with relevant expertise and appetite for the insured’s technology, operations and intended applications.
Technical Risk Presentation
Preparing submissions that accurately distinguish research and development, prototype testing, commercial manufacturing and operational deployment.
Policy Wording Negotiation
Reviewing and negotiating insuring agreements, definitions, exclusions, limits and territorial provisions, with particular attention to bodily injury/property damage, cyber-physical losses, war exclusions and military-use restrictions.
Integrated Program Design
Coordinating multiple policies and insurers to reduce unintended coverage gaps, manage overlaps and align coverage with contractual obligations.
Our objective goes beyond securing insurance capacity. We focus on structuring comprehensive programs that address coverage gaps, minimize exclusions and effectively transfer our clients’ risks.
05 | Capital markets & governance
Public Company D&O & US Capital Markets
Defence technology companies accessing institutional capital or pursuing public listings face additional management liability considerations.
Effective D&O planning should begin before a transaction closes, not after the company’s liability environment has changed.
A US public listing, including a potential Nasdaq transaction, can introduce heightened securities litigation exposure, disclosure obligations and complex D&O insurance requirements.
Axis advises on management liability programs for companies navigating these transitions, including the design of primary and excess D&O towers, Side A/B/C coverage, securities litigation retentions, limits benchmarking and the treatment of prior acts.
Particular attention is given to change-in-control provisions, transaction-related exposures, runoff coverage and continuity between private-company and public-company insurance programs.
We work alongside management, transaction advisers and outside legal counsel to coordinate insurance requirements before and after significant corporate events.
06 | Strategic risk advisory
Strategic Risk Advisory Beyond Insurance
Axis provides advisory services designed to help management teams make informed decisions about risk mitigation, contractual obligations and insurance protection.
Axis Technology Risk Compass
A structured risk assessment that evaluates relevant business practices and risk controls, producing practical findings to support management decisions and underwriting discussions.
Risk Roadmaps
Prioritized recommendations identifying opportunities to strengthen controls, improve contractual risk allocation and address insurance gaps.
D&O Benchmarking
Comparative analysis of management liability limits, retentions and coverage structures against relevant companies and market practices.
Risk Intelligence
Targeted insights addressing emerging technology, cyber, intellectual property, regulatory and management liability developments.
Contractual Risk Advisory
Insurance-focused reviews of indemnities, liability limitations, customer insurance requirements and other contractual risk-transfer provisions.
M&A Insurance Due Diligence
Insurance program reviews, historical claims analysis, transaction-related coverage considerations and post-acquisition integration planning.
Our advisory work complements legal, financial and technical advisers, helping companies align contractual commitments with available insurance protection.
07 | Integrated expertise
Integrated Expertise Across Technology & Aerospace
Defence technology insurance requires expertise spanning multiple insurance disciplines.
Axis brings together specialists in Technology E&O, Cyber, Intellectual Property, Aviation & Aerospace, Products Liability and Public Company D&O insurance.
Our multidisciplinary approach helps companies navigate complex underwriting requirements without treating technology, aviation and corporate liability as unrelated exposures.
Who We Work With
Our specialist insurance capabilities are relevant to businesses developing or commercializing unmanned aerial systems, autonomous platforms, defence robotics, artificial intelligence, advanced sensors, communications systems, aerospace components and other dual-use technologies.
We work with companies at different stages of development, from early-stage innovators to established manufacturers and publicly traded businesses.
08 | START A CONVERSATION
Let’s Discuss Your Insurance Requirements
Whether your company is developing new technology, conducting prototype testing, entering commercial production, expanding internationally or preparing for a capital-markets transaction, the right insurance structure depends on understanding your activities and the markets willing to insure them.
Axis works alongside management and legal counsel to evaluate existing insurance arrangements, identify coverage limitations and explore specialist risk-transfer solutions.
Speak with a specialist
Clive Bird
Vice President
Advanced Technology
Chris Jones
Vice President
Advanced Technology
Tristan Smith
Vice President
Advanced Technology
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