Phil Cottle

Founder and MD
ForestRe Ltd.

Phil is the founder of ForestRe Ltd. established in 2004 to bring forestry expertise and the latest technology to the insurance of forestry and tree crops worldwide. Phil’s commitment to forestry insurance spans 30 years.

ForestRe has been engaged in a series of UK, EU Horizon and Space Agency projects to explore application of Satellite data and other sensors in improving forest measurement, modelling, and profiling of risk for insurers. ‘Eco2Adapt’ is the latest project; a consortium of 29 institutions to explore land-based asset-management methods best suited for adaptation to a warmer, more volatile climate across forest biomes across Europe. ForestRe is financially supported in this by UK Innovate.

New discounted Insurance rewards fire risk management: ForestRe has developed a new insurance product that will reward climate adaptation management, especially against fire risk. The first of these (2025) is the ‘Elite Forest Management Product’. ForestRe’s partners have been Globe Underwriting, Liberty Mutual, Willis Towers Watson and The Nature Conservancy. The first sale of this insurance was to a First Nations Californian community successfully managing their fire exposure by long-term fuel reduction activities. Premium discounts in that case over 30%

Empirical fire incidence data (2000-2024) comparing forests whose owners applied for insurance with a surrounding 10 km forestry buffer, demonstrate a dramatic reduction (about 70%) in fire experience. The new product encourages specific fuel reduction activities that can earn 20% premium discounts if practiced. The ‘Elite Forest Management Product’ is rewarding investment into good practice to reduce fire losses. Other products will follow.

Forestry is the only at-scale solution to slowing climate change; if we act now, if we work together.

Excellent. A great forum to catch up and hear new things … It is great to see who has attended sessions, and in that way it is far better than a normal conference.

Phil Cottle

Sessions