Discussion
Waiting in the wings
This month's Power Hour discussion tackles the challenges of maintaining a strong business presence in Bristol - one of the UK's regional insurance hot spots - and how brokers working in the area compare to their competitors in the London insurance market
A change for the best?
This month's Power Hour discusses the issues surrounding the Financial Services Authority's plan to change the rules regarding the use of Goodwill, including the potential impact on the insurance market and whether enough has been done to warn brokers of…
Taking on the big guns
This month's discussion focuses on the recent spate of insurers buying successful independent brokerages and what it means for the future health of the market, including whether this buying spree will inspire more start-ups and the importance of SME…
Taking it to the top
Insurance Age visited Liverpool to host this month's power hour panel in a bid to discover how the broker market was coping with consolidation, relationships with insurers and market conditions, such as the impact of the up-and-coming 2008 Capital of…
A year of living dangerously
This month's power hour panel looks at the problems the industry has faced up to in 2006, including contract certainty and it also examines the main issues confronting the industry in the coming year, such as the naming and shaming of brokers by the FSA
Industry needs marketing and branding to stay front of mind
The topic of this month's discussion is the challenge of, and benefits gained, by branding and marketing within the insurance industry
Birmingham's competitive market fights premium fall
This month's power hour panel examine just how ready Birmingham is to handle the challenges of the modern day insurance industry with a particular focus on the future of the industry in the city, given the collapse of premium prices in recent times
Is package travel insurance at the end of its honeymoon?
This month the panel discusses the announcement by the economic secretary that the government is to make an inquiry into packaged travel insurance and they ask what this will mean for the industry, and whether the inquiry seems to be going far enough
Is the industry experiencing a regional insurance revolution?
This month the panel discusses job losses by major players in the insurance industry, alongside a recent surge into the regions by companies such as Novae, QBE and IGI
Is the rising reputation of Manchester justified?
This month's regional Power Hour took place in Manchester and talked about the benefits of working in the city
Is imarket making the world a smaller place?
This month the panel discusses the extent to which imarket has been embraced and what direction it needs to move in
Do too many cooks spoil the broth, or is more the merrier?
This month the panel discusses the requirements of a successful acquisition and what the future holds for consolidation
Is it the end of the road for driving other cars?
This month's the panel discusses what the future is for driving other cars and if it can ever be made more clear cut
Pleural plaques - changing the future of the industry
This month the panel discusses what impact the recent judgment on pleural plaques has had on the industry and sufferers
Product innovation: has it been ignored for too long?
This month's the panel discusses whether product innovation in the insurance market has been given enough importance
Time to take a stronger stand against fraudsters?
This month's power hour panel discusses what more the industry can do to help in the battle against customer fraud
Is the insurance glass half full or half empty?
This month's power hour panel discusses whether the present general insurance broking perpective is positive or not
Reviewing the reviewers: FSA gets end of term report
This month's power hour panel discusses whether the Financial Services Authority's (FSA) general insurance regime has been effective since it began on 14 January and what should be addressed on the dawn of the FSA's review of its own effectiveness
Is FSA IT regulation just leading a horse to water?
This month's power hour panel asks if the process of regulation by the Financial Services Authority has increased the pace that brokers have moved their IT capabilities forward or had this process already been taking place before regulation
Are enough brokers left to offer a healthy choice?
This month's Power Hour panel asks if consolidation in the broking market over the past few years has been a good thing from the point of view of competition in the market and the resultant quality product that is offered to their customers
Getting to the root of the conflict of interest issue
This month's Power Hour panel asks if enough has been done to make brokers aware of all the potentially serious pitfalls that can still arise when it comes to the conflict of interest issue, and how far have the Biba recommendations been implemented?
Should brokers get their fifteen minutes of fame?
This month's Power Hour panel looks at the options brokers have available to help increase their overall profile in light of historical problems with such proposals, especially in getting brokers to come to agreement about the focus of a joint promotion…
The final word on the falling insurer standards problem
This month's Power Hour panel looks at the justification behind broker complaints that insurer standards have been steadily falling despite FSA regulation of the industry and the possible solutions that will offer a final remedy to the long standing…
Getting tough with the driving other cars extension loophole
This month's Power Hour panel looks at the best ways to deal with the driving other cars extension loophole and ask if it should be scrapped completely or whether there is an effective alternative that will not cause more problems than it solves