Torus was originally conceived and capitalized by First Reserve Corporation, a leading energy industry investor making both private equity and infrastructure investments throughout the energy value chain. First Reserve has developed a global platform by investing exclusively in the energy industry, having raised and invested approximately $20 billion in equity. The firm has invested in over 100 platform acquisitions and its portfolio companies have completed approximately 300 add-on transactions. Its experience in insurance was developed through investment in two successful insurance sidecars.

In February 2010 Torus announced an additional equity capital investment from Corsair Capital of $150 million (alongside further investment from First Reserve Corporation). Corsair is a New York-based private equity firm investing solely in the financial services industry. Set up in 1993, it has invested in the US, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Central Europe.