Insurer
Alain Zweibrucker named Axa Retail CEO
Axa has moved Alain Zweibrucker from Switzerland to become CEO of Axa Retail and a member of the UK and Ireland management committee.
FOS motor insurance complaints soar again to new five-year high
The Financial Ombudsman Service received 4,036 complaints about car and motorcycle insurance between July and September driven by disputes over vehicle valuation, customer service issues, and delays in claim settlements.
Markel International launches specialty division in international wholesale
Markel has launched a specialty practice within its international wholesale division bringing together its equine and livestock, marine and energy liability, trade credit, political risk, and surety underwriting teams, as well as its new international…
Allianz targets doubling brokers in Accelerator Programme to 250 next year
Mike Thomas, director of distribution for digital and mid-market at Allianz Commercial, has set his sights on reaching 250 brokers in its Accelerator Programme next year.
Review of the Year 2023: Zurich’s David Nichols
David Nichols, Zurich Insurance UK head of retail reflects on the hype over the ‘war for talent’ and how RSA’s acquisition of NIG is symptomatic of the drive towards e-trading and serving brokers better.
Former RSA employee who stole and sold customer details jailed
An ex-RSA employee has been jailed for stealing customer details and selling them to claims management companies.
EY predicts worst UK motor performance since 2010 with industry NCR of 114.6%
EY has revised its prediction for the UK motor insurance market and now expects this year will be the worst since 2010 with a net combined ratio of 114.6%.
Ex-ABI boss Huw Evans named KPMG UK’s head of insurance
Huw Evans has been appointed head of insurance at KPMG in the UK, replacing Trevor Jones from April 2024 who is retiring from the firm.
Home insurance prices rise a record 36% in a year
The average quoted home insurance price increased by 36.1% in a year to October, the highest annual rise on record, according to the latest Consumer Intelligence Home Insurance Price Index.
UK property MGA to launch in January 2024
Real estate managing general agent Ventis is set to launch in January with capacity from Accelerant and the support of Mission Underwriters.
Premium finance lenders ready to support brokers hit by BNP Paribas pullout
The leaders of broker-facing premium finance providers have reassured they can move quickly to help brokers affected by BNP Paribas Personal Finance’s decision to exit in 2024.
The Green Insurer launches on CDL’s Strata
The Green Insurer has opened for business claiming to be the UK’s first truly green car insurance broker.
ABI adds Blanc, Foley and Boulton to board
The Association of British Insurers has added Aviva’s Amanda Blanc, Axa’s Tara Foley and Clive Boulton of M&G Life Insurance to its board.
Review of the Year 2023: Iprism’s Ian Lloyd
Ian Lloyd, CEO of Iprism, reflects on a major M&A deal he did not see coming, and how he could turn childhood promise in shooting/archery into an Olympic podium finish in 2024.
RSA sells home and pet books to Admiral and confirms UK PL withdrawal
Intact Financial Corporation has reached an agreement to sell RSA’s UK direct personal lines operations, representing approximately £165m of annual premiums, to Admiral Group.
A fifth of UK businesses victims of cyber-attacks in past year
Research by Aviva has found one in five businesses have been victims of a cyber-attack in the past year, with only 17% of small businesses having a cyber policy in place.
QBE joins Biba as partner
The British Insurance Brokers’ Association has added QBE as a partner, its 23rd in total.
Policy Expert eyes accelerated growth after ADIA takes majority stake
Steve Hardy, CEO at Policy Expert, is confident that new majority backer ADIA understands the business and is well placed to support it going forward.
Ripe adds motorhomes and campervans to portfolio
Insurtech broker Ripe has expanded its product portfolio with the launch of motorhomes and campervans insurance.
Zurich driving forward on digitisation for international programmes
Zurich has boosted digital interaction to 70% of international programmes in the last two years with a target of 100% by the end of 2025, according to Vinicio Cellerini, global head of customer and distribution.
Advertising feature: Three ways brokers can help clients gain a security advantage when selecting cyber insurance
Tom Draper, UK head of insurance, Coalition outlines the most important ways brokers can help clients select cyber insurance providers that will give them a security advantage.
Markel recruits Axa’s Jo Sykes to lead broker business
Markel has appointed Jo Sykes as divisional director for the UK broker channel.
Review of the Year 2023: Axa’s Sarah Mallaby
Sarah Mallaby, Axa commercial distribution and trading director, reflects on the insurer’s cautious exploration of the opportunities afforded by AI and pushing the boundaries in ‘green’ schemes business.
Ex-Brightside and Markerstudy boss Martyn Holman adds Canford Law to portfolio
Martyn Holman has joined Canford Law as a board advisor to help in the strategic development of the business as it seeks new opportunities in the insurance market.