Skills and experience
Tobias Cushing is the Head of Construction for Zurich in the U.S., where he is responsible for managing the company’s commercial Construction Property, Casualty, Excess and Professional Liability underwriting portfolio and executing growth plans across the business. He works closely with customers, brokers and internal teams to address the evolving opportunities and risks facing the construction industry. He also works closely with the Head of Global Construction and Surety, Kelly Kinzer.
Cushing was appointed Head of Construction in May 2025 from his previous role as Deputy Chief Underwriting Officer for Zurich North America. In that role, he supported profitable growth by delivering data-driven insights and enhancing underwriting technical capabilities across Property, Casualty, Specialty, Excess and Surplus, and other lines across Zurich North America.
He joined Zurich in 2022 as Head of Construction Casualty. Before joining Zurich, he held senior leadership positions at The Hartford, including as Head of Construction for Middle and Large Commercial. Earlier in his career, he practiced insurance coverage law, advising on complex insurance transactions and litigation matters.
External appointments
Cushing is a board member with Lawyers for Children America and regularly performs pro bono legal work representing abused, neglected and trafficked children.
Educational background
Cushing holds a Juris Doctor from Quinnipiac University School of Law, a Master of Insurance Law from the University of Connecticut School of Law and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Houghton College. He completed the Zurich Insurance Leadership Program at Stanford University Graduate School of Business.
He is based in New York City and Rocky Hill, Conn.