Zurich North America names Rastiello head of US middle market life sciences

By Mia MacGregor

March 24 - (The Insurer) - Zurich North America has promoted Leah Rastiello to head of life sciences for its U.S. middle market business, effective immediately.

She will report to Stan Bernard, head of U.S. middle market industry practices.

Rastiello previously served as assistant vice president and life sciences underwriter within Zurich’s U.S. middle market business.

Before joining Zurich in 2022, she served as an executive life science underwriter at Markel, where she helped establish and lead that segment. She has also held underwriting and medical research roles at Chubb, AmTrust North America and Massachusetts General Hospital.

In her new role, Rastiello will lead a team of underwriters specialising in biological products, medtech, medical devices, pharmaceutical manufacturing, research and development, and contract research organisations.

She succeeds Linda Schultz, who is taking on a global assignment with Zurich Insurance Group in commercial insurance.

Zurich’s life sciences practice provides insurance coverage for pharmaceutical, medtech and R&D companies with up to $1 billion of revenue.

The U.S. middle market business, which offers property, casualty, financial lines and specialty coverage across various industries, plans to hire an additional 100 underwriters, according to the company.