Lloyd's of London — Local services in London

Lloyd's of London is the oldest insurance company in the world. This Lloyd's building (sometimes known as the Inside-Out Building) is the home of the insurance institution Lloyd's of London. It is located on the former site of East India House in Lime Street, in London's main financial district, the City of London.

Our small group received an honorary invitation to attend their office and see how they works in underwriters room and also learn its history. In my opinion, this is a modern office and a museum about the history of insurance in the world. Things I would share here (because this is off-limit to the public to enter the building) are about my visit and what we saw there, in short, they were: An insurance letter against Titanic ships and several companies that participated in re-insured. Wow, how I amazed to see the movie of Titanic, but this one is proof of history about Titanic.

In the middle of the room, we saw a bell hanging there, according to the staff who accompanied us the name of the Bell is La Lutine taken from the French naval frigate La Lutine captured by the British at Toulon in 1793. The ship was consequently renamed HMS Lutine as a battleship for 6 years and become a transport ship and on the last journey of this ship brought a vast sum of gold and silver insured at Lloyd's and bound for Hamburg and the entirety of the ship's cargo was lost. So this bell is a symbol of the history of the huge blow for Lloyd's financially, but it also cemented the company's reputation for settling even the most incredible losses.

A display cabinet dedicated to Admiral Lord Nelson. As underwriters of marine insurance, Lloyd's was heavily indebted to the protection and safety the Royal Navy and Nelson provided for ships to cross the oceans,

At the end of our visit, we were taken to a large dining room called the Adam Room where all the ornaments and contents were truly ancient and original inside a modern building. The room is used by the Council of Lloyd's is an adaptation of the original dining room of Bowood House in Wiltshire. Designed in 1763 This dining room is moved part by part into a wholly original one to the new Lloyd's premises in Lime Street.

That was really a great experience to visit the Lloyd of...

ew buildings in London divide opinion quite like the Lloyd’s building, yet few command as much architectural respect. Designed by the late Richard Rogers and completed in 1986, this bold structure remains a striking example of high-tech architecture — unapologetically industrial and fiercely futuristic.

Located in the heart of the City, the Lloyd’s building is home to the Lloyd’s of London insurance market, a centuries-old institution with deep traditions. Yet the building itself is anything but traditional. With its lifts, ducts, staircases, and pipework mounted on the outside, it’s often referred to as the “Inside-Out Building.” This radical design choice maximises internal space and gives the structure a machine-like aesthetic — one that was both admired and criticised at its unveiling.

From an architectural perspective, the building is a masterclass in form following function, albeit with a twist. Its 60-metre atrium, open-plan floors, and abundant natural light create a dynamic workspace. The external glass lifts were the first of their kind in the UK, and they remain a visual and functional highlight. Inside, tradition holds firm: the historic Underwriting Room, the Lutine Bell, and the hand-written Loss Book maintain continuity with Lloyd’s storied past.

The building has not been without challenges. Its exposed services, though visually arresting, can be difficult and expensive to maintain. In an era of energy-conscious design, its environmental performance has come under scrutiny, though efforts have been made to retrofit where possible. Still, these are not fatal flaws — rather, they are the consequences of a building that pushed the boundaries of its time.

In 2011, the Lloyd’s building was awarded Grade I listed status, making it one of the youngest structures in Britain to receive such protection. This formal recognition cements its place not just in the insurance world, but in architectural...

Went to the annual Lloyd's of London Art exhibition. It's a wonderful event for charity especially homeless charities. Was started abt 60 years ago by a marvellous man, Don Coombe, a co-founder. I'm interested because my darling niece Olivia English is an artist who exhibits there, because her lovely husband has a connection with Lloyd's. She took up painting as part of her rehabilitation following a bleed on her brain. She too donates much of the proceeds from the sale of her work to charity especially Headspace Essex which helped her following her illness. I'm truly inspired by her, Don and all those people I come across who 'give' selflessly. Think on that when you see all the bad being reported in the world, you don't see all the good being done because it doesn't sell papers nor media advertising. THINK ON...