Berkley Family 13D Update: Estate Takes Control of 17.4M Shares After Founder's Passing
WRB is trading near its 52-week low of $62.873 (15% above the low).
Summary
The Berkley family's Schedule 13D/A reveals that the Estate of William R. Berkley now holds 17.4 million shares, lifting the family group's total beneficial ownership to 95.6 million shares, or 25.67% of outstanding stock, following the founder's death and the opening of probate.
Key Events · Ownership and Investor Activity · WRB
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Estate Acquires 17.4M Shares
After the founder's death on June 10, 2026, and the subsequent opening of probate, the Estate of William R. Berkley now beneficially owns 17,366,375 shares, succeeding his holdings.
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Family Group Holds 25.67% Stake
Collectively, the Reporting Persons own 95,557,324 shares, which represents 25.67% of the outstanding common stock, based on 372,276,732 shares outstanding as of April 27, 2026.
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CEO and Mother Are Co-Executors
Maintaining family control over the shares, W. Robert Berkley Jr. (Chairman, CEO, and President) and Marjorie J. Berkley serve as co-executors of the Estate.
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MSI Entities Hold Separate 15.8% Stake
The filing notes that MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings and Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co. beneficially own 58,780,450 shares (15.8%), though the Reporting Persons disclaim any group membership with MSI.
Analysis · WRB · Finance
With the death of founder William R. Berkley, his estate has assumed control of 17.4 million shares, bringing the family group's collective stake to 25.67% of the company. The filing formalizes the post-probate ownership structure, naming CEO W. Robert Berkley Jr. and Marjorie Berkley as co-executors. By clarifying how shares are distributed across trusts and entities, the update sheds light on the family's continued control and sets the stage for governance and any future transactions.
At the time of this filing, WRB was trading at $72.00 on NYSE in the Finance sector, with a market capitalization of approximately $26.9B. The 52-week trading range was $62.87 to $78.96. This filing was assessed with neutral market sentiment and an importance score of 7 out of 10.