Articles by Liz McMahon
Incisive Media cleans up at the Biba Awards 2011
Journalists from Insurance Age and sister title Post Magazine topped three categories and received four highly commended awards at the British Insurance Brokers’ Association’s 2011 journalist of the year awards.
Lorica raids rival brokers for key hires
Lorica Insurance Brokers has signalled its intention to accelerate business growth this year with six new hires.
Lack of resources could hinder Bribery Act
As the 2010 Bribery Act comes into force on the 1 July, anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International UK has warned that its enforcement could be undermined by a lack of resource.
FSA chief claims radical approach needed to force change
The current regulator’s chief executive Hector Sants has stated that, over the past eight years, there has been “little or no evidence that any significant change has occurred in the attitude of the financial industry towards its customers”.
Market could save millions with new telematics offering
Claim Witness has launched a new Telematics “Black-Box” solution designed to provide insurers with both first notification of an accident, and driver data analysis to assist with premium adjustment.
FCA will not prevent all firms from failing, says Cole
Margaret Cole, the Financial Services Authority’s (FSA) director of enforcement and financial crime, has spoken at the regulator’s conference on the forthcoming Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) approach to regulation.
Update: Axa stands alone in its voluntary ban on referral fees
Insurers have said they are not prepared to follow Axa’s lead in the banning of referral fees for personal injury.
Axa turns its back on referral fees
Axa has made the decision to no longer accept referral fees from personal injury lawyers and has called for whiplash injury reform to eliminate fraud within the industry.
Big Balloon Day takes off with The Insurance Charities
The Insurance Charities has announced its annual fundraiser, centred upon a tethered hot air balloon ride, will be on 2 August 2011.
FCA needs quantum leap to achieve goals
The new Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) must deliver a quantum leap in effective regulation, according to Kay Blair, vice chair of the Financial Services Consumer Panel.
Zurich secures two key financial lines hires
Zurich has appointed Stuart Quinlan as chief underwriting officer, professional indemnity (PI) for Europe, and Alan Moore, as head of financial lines for the UK.
New Bristol manager for Liberty Mutual
Liberty Mutual Insurance (LMI), the commercial lines division of Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe, has promoted Martino D’Aliesio to the post of regional manager for its Bristol office.
Ecclesiastical creates new compliance role
Ecclesiastical has appointed John Schofield to the newly created role of director of group internal audit and compliance.
Plum choice for new MD
Somerville Holdings has promoted David Whitaker to the role of managing director at its specialist household subsidiary, Plum Underwriting.
Chubb fills Mitsui Sumitomo shaped hole
Patrick Mettler has been appointed to the role of country and business development manager for Ireland at Chubb.
Insurance Age blog: What did you have for breakfast today?
I'm going to tell you something you don't know about me. Happy Gilmore is one of my all time favourite films. There are a variety of reasons why this is the case but one particular exchange never fails to make me chuckle.
Escalating claims decimating UK motor results, says Towers Watson
New figures from the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries have revealed that one in four UK third party motor claims involves a bodily injury element.
Groupama claims e-trading milestone
Groupama has labeled Optima Business Plus “the market’s first fully online, multi-section, commercial combined product”.
Towergate turns to 'family' for new MDs
Towergate Underwriting has announced the appointment of three new managing directors.
Aviva gets £1bn for RAC
Aviva has agreed to sell its roadside recovery firm to the Carlyle Group for £1bn and it looks like current management team will survive.
Axa PPP plans to extend online presence with broker buy
Axa PPP has confirmed its intention to purchase online private medical insurance intermediary Health-on-line for an undisclosed sum.
E-broking 2011: Brokers must adopt e-trading or risk losing out to aggregators, warns Cullum
Towergate Partnership executive chairman Peter Cullum has warned if brokers continue to fail to adopt e-trading then aggregators will “eat their breakfast before they get up in the morning”.
Government says yes to referral fees
As part of its new Justice Bill, unveiled today, the government has confirmed its intention to spare referral fees.
Appeal decision good news for surveyors
The Court of Appeal has unanimously agreed that surveyors did not owe a duty of care to a buy-to-let investor in the case of Scullion v Bank of Scotland Plc (t/a Colleys).