8. Goodwill and Intangible Assets

The following table presents a rollforward of the components of goodwill by reportable segment.

(dollars in thousands)Markel InsuranceIndustrialFinancialConsumer and OtherTotal
January 1, 2024$996,813 $778,328 $490,281 $359,327 $2,624,749 
Acquisitions (note 3)
— 108,660 — 5,929 114,589 
Foreign currency movements and other adjustments (3,036)(431)— (4)(3,471)
December 31, 2024 (1)
$993,777 $886,557 $490,281 $365,252 $2,735,867 
Acquisitions (note 3)
27,250 528  85,994 113,772 
Adjustments to preliminary purchase price allocation (34,861)  (34,861)
Foreign currency movements and other adjustments4,380 3,048  (115)7,313 
December 31, 2025 (1)
$1,025,407 $855,272 $490,281 $451,131 $2,822,091 
(1)    As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company's goodwill was net of accumulated impairment losses of $190.6 million, of which $171.9 million was in the Financial segment and $18.7 million was in the Industrial segment.

As a result of the Company's segment changes in 2025, the Company reassessed its reporting units. For any changes in reporting units that resulted in a reallocation of goodwill, the Company tested goodwill for impairment immediately prior to the change in reporting units and determined that there was no impairment of goodwill. The Company completed its annual tests for goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment as of October 1, 2025 based upon results of operations through September 30, 2025. See note 1 for further details regarding impairment testing. There was no impairment of goodwill or indefinite-lived intangible assets during 2025, 2024, or 2023.

The following table presents a rollforward of net intangible assets by reportable segment.

(dollars in thousands)Markel InsuranceIndustrialFinancialConsumer and OtherCorporateTotal
January 1, 2024$284,736 $525,468 $561,884 $210,596 $6,000 $1,588,684 
Acquisitions (note 3)
— 51,409 — 1,500 — 52,909 
Amortization of acquired intangible assets(34,966)(54,956)(65,272)(26,278)— (181,472)
Foreign currency movements and other adjustments(655)105 — 49 — (501)
December 31, 2024$249,115 $522,026 $496,612 $185,867 $6,000 $1,459,620 
Acquisitions (note 3)
17,000 20,785  198,300  236,085 
Sale of Global Reinsurance renewal rights (10,698)    (10,698)
Amortization of acquired intangible assets(37,231)(60,110)(60,703)(26,963) (185,007)
Adjustments to preliminary purchase price allocations 43,542    43,542 
Foreign currency movements and other adjustments936 106  (1,582) (540)
December 31, 2025$219,122 $526,349 $435,909 $355,622 $6,000 $1,543,002 

Amortization of acquired intangible assets is estimated to be $169.9 million for 2026, $159.5 million for 2027, $151.0 million for 2028, $148.2 million for 2029, and $138.6 million for 2030. At December 31, 2025 and 2024, indefinite-lived intangible assets were $250.4 million and $90.4 million, respectively. In 2025, the Company acquired a $160.0 million indefinite-lived intangible asset for a designation from the U.S. Department of State that provides authorization to sponsor international teachers for placements in schools in the U.S. See note 3.
The following table presents the components of intangible assets.

December 31,
20252024
(dollars in thousands)Gross
Carrying
Amount
Accumulated
Amortization
Gross
Carrying
Amount
Accumulated
Amortization
Customer relationships$1,504,162 $(758,562)$1,488,796 $(699,550)
Investment management agreements464,000 (207,894)464,000 (178,727)
Broker and agent relationships294,542 (196,282)295,694 (182,139)
Trade names316,179 (177,602)305,381 (157,494)
U.S. Department of State designation
160,000  — — 
Technology115,148 (111,370)113,187 (107,727)
Insurance licenses72,333  72,333 — 
Other192,019 (123,671)159,603 (113,737)
Total$3,118,383 $(1,575,381)$2,898,994 $(1,439,374)

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 26, 2026Showing above
2018Feb 28, 2019

About Goodwill & Intangibles Disclosures

Goodwill and intangible asset disclosures reveal the premium paid in acquisitions and how management assesses whether that premium retains its value. Since goodwill is no longer amortized under US GAAP, the annual impairment test is the only mechanism that adjusts carrying values downward — making the assumptions behind that test critically important for investors.

Key signals: a history of goodwill impairments suggests management consistently overpays for acquisitions. Watch the gap between reporting unit fair value and carrying amount — when fair value exceeds carrying amount by less than 10-20%, a small decline in business performance could trigger a write-down. For finite-lived intangibles, examine useful life assumptions across customer relationships, technology, and trade names; aggressive estimates inflate near-term earnings. Compare total intangibles-to-total-assets ratios against peers to assess acquisition dependency. Rising goodwill as a percentage of equity can signal balance sheet fragility.