Markel enhances UK family leave policy for secondary carers

London, 28 May, 2026 — Markel Insurance, the insurance operation within Markel Group Inc. (NYSE: MKL), today announced an enhancement to its UK family leave offering, increasing paid leave for secondary carers to 26 weeks, bringing it into line with paid leave available to primary carers.

The change applies to all eligible UK-based employees, regardless of gender, and forms part of Markel’s wider suite of family‑friendly policies designed to support those with caring responsibilities across different life stages.

Equal family leave policies are increasingly recognised as an important driver of workplace gender equality, helping to support shared caregiving responsibilities, improve retention and reduce the long-term career impact that parental leave can disproportionately have on women.

Secondary carer leave, most often taken as paternity leave, is now available to employees whose partner has given birth or where they have become an adoptive parent, including through surrogacy. The enhancement increases the paid leave allowance from 12 weeks to 26 weeks and is intended to ensure a more consistent experience of parental leave across carers.

Supporting people at moments that matter

The update builds on a series of people‑focused policy enhancements introduced by Markel in recent years, including frameworks to support carers, fertility journeys, baby loss, menopause and domestic abuse, reflecting the organisation’s ongoing commitment to supporting its people in significant moments that matter.

Alongside the policy enhancement, Markel is continuing to invest in practical support to help its people take parental leave with confidence. This includes leadership endorsement, peer support initiatives for expectant and returning parents, and access to guidance and tools for employees and managers to support planning before, during and after periods of leave.

By aligning parental leave entitlements and combining them with wider cultural and peer support, Markel aims to help remove barriers that can prevent secondary carers, particularly men, from taking extended leave, while supporting a more balanced distribution of caring responsibilities at home and greater equality in career progression over time.

Jo Browning, Chief People Officer, commented:

“I’m delighted to announce the launch of our enhanced secondary carer leave, which reflects Markel’s commitment to supporting our people during life’s important moments.

“This is more than just a policy enhancement. Coupled with the launch of our community circles for new parents, anchor days and a focus on guidance for people managers, it’s about creating confidence and consistency for our people taking family leave.

“We also know that secondary carer leave can play an important role in creating a more inclusive and equitable workplace by helping normalise extended leave, and supporting shared caregiving responsibilities. We want our people to feel equally empowered to take time away from work to support their families without concern that doing so is viewed differently depending on gender or role.

“We see this as a fundamental part of not only creating resilient teams and a sustainable business, but cultivating a people-powered organisation.”

About Markel Insurance

We are Markel Insurance, a leading global specialty insurer with a truly people-first approach. As the insurance operations within the Markel Group Inc. (NYSE: MKL), we leverage a broad array of capabilities and expertise to create intelligent solutions for the most complex specialty insurance needs. However, it is our people – and the deep, valued relationships they develop with colleagues, brokers and clients – that differentiates us worldwide.