Argus Malta

Argus Insurance Company (Europe) Limited is a general insurer with its Malta branch at Trident Park, an office address on Mdina Road in the Central Business District at Birkirkara. It writes cover for shops, offices, restaurants, landlords and contractors, for private homes, for cars, motorcycles and company fleets, and for yachts, pleasure craft and marine cargo. Its aim is plain enough: to be the insurer local customers respect most, backed by quick responses and claims that are decided on the island.

UK readers used to buying insurance directly online should note one difference. Argus Malta sells and administers its policies through brokers and tied insurance intermediaries rather than over its own counter, although its claims department deals with customers directly in many cases. You can compare it with other providers in our directory of insurance companies and brokers in Malta.

Part of the international Argus Group

The Argus Group is the collective name for Argus Group Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries, a multi-line organisation covering insurance, pensions, investments, broking, healthcare management and medical services. The group has offices at the Argus Building in Hamilton, Bermuda, and at Europort Road in Gibraltar, with Malta as its third location. The Malta business trades as a branch of the European company, so local clients benefit from group resources while dealing with a team in Birkirkara.

Community involvement forms part of the Malta branch's approach, through its everyday business and a programme of community and charitable support. Anyone wondering how insurers like this fit into the island's wider finance industry will find context in our introduction to financial services in Malta.

Leadership in Malta

The branch board consists of Constantinos Miranthis, Michael Macelli, Peter Dunkerley, Alex Bonavia and Abigail Clifford. Day to day, the business is led by General Manager Airell J Costantino, a Chartered Insurer with more than 28 years in the industry and a background in underwriting, who is responsible for transforming the branch and improving how it operates.

Around him, Maria Azzopardi heads business relations and looks after the broker and partner relationships on which Argus depends, drawing on over 20 years in insurance. Nikolai Galea is financial controller and analyst, Josh Abiero is European claims manager with 25 years of international claims experience, and Claudio Xerri leads compliance for Europe. The mix of chartered insurers, accountants and claims specialists tells you this is an underwriting operation rather than a sales desk.

Cover for shops, offices and other businesses

Small businesses are well served. Shop Protector bundles insurance for the contents you own or are responsible for, public liability for injuries and illness linked to the shop and for work done away from it, and business interruption following loss or damage. Optional extras include employer's liability, property damage at the premises, and deterioration of stock, which covers refrigerated goods spoiled when equipment breaks down. Similar packages exist for offices and for restaurants and pubs, and Business Select, Property Owners Protector and contractors' policies sit alongside them.

Where a firm does not fit a standard package, Argus can build a combined business policy around it, and several premises can usually go on a single policy. Business policies include cover for cash kept overnight in a safe, cash on its way to the bank and money held during trading hours. Front of house glass is covered too, with extra glass available on request, and goods in transit insurance protects stock while it moves from one place to another.

Like most insurers, Argus applies an excess to its policies, which is the portion of each claim the policyholder pays before the insurer covers the rest. Choosing a higher excess usually brings the premium down, so it is worth discussing the balance with your broker or intermediary. Business insurance is not a legal obligation in Malta, but public liability claims can reach very large sums, so owners usually treat it as essential. Anyone opening a company here will also want sound advice on structure and accounts, and CLA Malta's company and tax services are listed in our directory for that purpose.

Homes, landlords and commercial property

Property insurance is offered both to homeowners and to property managers and landlords who need to protect a rental investment. Buildings cover pays to repair or rebuild the structure and its permanent fixtures after fire, subsidence or severe weather, and normally extends to outbuildings, boundary walls, gates, drives and paths, plus temporary accommodation if you have to move out while the work is done. Contents cover deals with furniture, carpets, equipment and machinery lost or damaged by fire, theft and other named perils.

A quick way to tell the two apart: buildings insurance protects anything that would stay behind if you turned the property upside down, while contents insurance protects what you would take with you when you moved out. Landlords letting furnished flats often need both, and owners of commercial premises can arrange cover sized to the investment rather than a household policy.

You may need to list high value items individually, and in areas with more burglaries an insurer can ask for better locks or an alarm. If you are buying property as part of a move, our guide to relocating to Malta from the UK explains the wider process of settling here.

Cars, motorcycles and company fleets

Private Vehicle plans and motorcycle insurance are available for individual drivers, and commercial vehicle insurance allows a business to put five or more vehicles on one policy. A company counts as a fleet when it runs ten or more vehicles and the owner holds over 60 percent of the shares. Vehicles must be registered to the company, its directors, owners or partners to earn the fleet discount, and directors' own cars can be added with approval.

For newcomers from Britain, one detail matters: a no claims bonus earned in any EU country can count towards an Argus policy, provided you have written proof from the previous insurer and that policy ended within the last two years. Policies can name drivers or allow anyone authorised by the owner to drive, though under 25s face a higher excess. Breakdown and towing cover, protected no claims bonus and multi policy discounts are all available, subject to terms.

Drivers exploring the island at weekends can find inspiration in our list of things to do in Malta, from the old capital up the road, covered in our Mdina guide, to the beaches of the north.

Yachts, pleasure craft and marine cargo

Boat owners can insure yachts and other pleasure craft against damage to the vessel and against liability for injury or damage they cause to others. Third party liability insurance is compulsory in Malta for boats with engines above 9.9HP, with a minimum limit of €235,000, and higher limits can be arranged. Boats more than ten years old need a survey, repeated every four years. Premiums depend on value, cover, use, experience, mooring location and the excess you choose.

Commercial clients can also arrange marine cargo and marine liability insurance. Owners who cruise across to Comino and Gozo in summer may enjoy our guides to the Blue Lagoon on Comino and to visiting Gozo.

Claims, complaints and getting in touch

Argus is among the few insurers in Malta that handle every claim locally, supported by a chosen network of surveyors and repairers. If you bought through a broker, the broker gathers the details and papers and submits the claim for you. If you bought through a tied intermediary, you contact the claims team directly: a handler confirms your cover, explains the next steps, asks for documents and a signed claim form, and once the claim is verified pays by cheque or bank transfer. Most property claims settle within a few weeks.

Complaints receive a first response within five working days and a final answer within eight weeks, in line with the MFSA deadline. If you remain unhappy, you may take the matter to the Office of the Arbiter for Financial Services within six months of the final reply.

Tied intermediaries work across Malta and Gozo, in places such as Kerċem, Birkirkara, San Ġwann, Ta' Xbiex, Qormi, Fgura, Żurrieq, St Paul's Bay, Żebbuġ and Żejtun. If you would like a quote or help finding the right intermediary, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will send your message to Argus Malta.