Broker
Phoenix from the flames
Andrew Tjaardstra meets Martin Oliver, managing director at Barbon Insurance, to discuss doomed property services company Erinaceous and some strong views on management.
Family affair
Niche specialism and expertise are complementary according to the brothers running Lloyd's professional indemnity specialists PYV, writes Emmanuel Kenning.
A level playing field
Derek Plummer, commercial director at MMA, explains why price comparison sites should be embraced.
Brokers increase claims payouts - report
Emmanuel Kenning reviews industry responses to research from the British Insurance Brokers' Association.
Zurich chief goes on air to call for hardening
Insurer head argues for action now to avoid large swings in premiums later, writes Andrew Tjaardstra.
Save your kisses
So insurers are back courting the affection of independent brokers, but is it too little too late? Robert D Marshall asks whether this relationship is worth saving, especially now there is a new suitor on the horizon
Out of the ordinary?
A typical commuter town, Chelmsford is home to a wide selection of small businesses and offers easy access to London. Jessica Pothering asks if it is this very ordinariness that makes its insurance market stand out
Join the club?
It is human nature to form alliances with like-minded individuals. Eric Galbraith considers why and when brokers and intermediaries might choose to join a network
Providing a voice
With just 15 members of staff, Heartland Group is a small broker that has had enormous success this year. Paul Lang explains how joining a network has helped develop its presence, while remaining independent
Network face-off
OurNetwork's managing director Paul Brierley and Grant Ellis, executive chairman of Towergate's network division, battle it out on the membership playing field. Martin Friel compares the network offerings
Keeping it close-knit
With so many different models available and some networks increasingly putting commercialism at the top of their agenda, Edward Murray explores how brokers can get the most out of such a collaboration