Commercial
Axa swings back to UK underwriting profits in 2024
Axa Insurance UK returned to underwriting profit in 2024 with a £45m result, reversing a £103m deficit in 2023.
IPT receipts surge 9% to £8.88bn in 2024/25
Data from HMRC has confirmed receipts from Insurance Premium Tax jumped by £737m in the 2024/25 financial year reaching a new high of £8.88bn.
Biba 2025 Countdown: Bridgehaven’s Paul Jewell
Paul Jewell, CEO of Bridgehaven hails Mike Keating’s ability to not park the bus; looks forward to discussing the exciting opportunities presented by alternative capacity providers; and recommends delegates visit Manchester’s answer to Hogwarts.
UIB responds to SFO court case decision
United Insurance Brokers Limited has responded to the Serious Fraud Office’s decision to bring a case of failing to prevent international bribery with the charges to be heard at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 7 May.
Alan Boswell buys Suffolk broker
Alan Boswell Group has bought commercial insurance broker Andrew Thompson and Associates in its first deal of the year after two purchases in 2024.
Biba 2025 Countdown: Markel’s Jo Sykes
Jo Sykes, divisional director, broker & ATE UK at Markel, promises a partnership with an Olympic champion; expects to see another uptick in attendance at its annual hospitality event; and looks forward to putting her sore feet up and checking the iPad…
Axa warns brokers on criminal gangs targeting vacant commercial properties
Axa UK has urged brokers to make sure customers are vigilant about criminal gangs targeting empty commercial properties as the insurer has seen a steep rise in the problem in recent months.
A-Plan details £3.6m rebrand spend as turnover ticks up but profits dip in 2024
A-Plan, now rebranded as Howden, grew turnover by 2.1% to £167.3m in the year ended 30 September 2024 as investments in staff, rebrand costs and IT spend hit the bottom line.
Markel to buy London-headquartered marine MGA
Markel has inked a deal to buy specialist marine managing general agent The MECO Group.
Radius Insurance MD sees “huge” opportunity to put “foot on the gas”
Philip Thorn, Radius Insurance Solutions managing director, is eyeing up the opportunities from being a true risk advisor and broker, as he highlights possibilities to lean into the wider group’s customer base.
Biba 2025 Countdown: Commercial Express’ Duncan Pritchard
In a month’s time it will be day two of the 2025 British Insurance Brokers’ Association Conference. As part of Insurance Age's countdown to the event Duncan Pritchard, managing director of Commercial Express, shares his insights.
Biba 2025 Countdown: QBE’s Stacey Flannery
With only one month to go until the Biba 2025 conference, Stacey Flannery, head of trading (Manchester) at QBE, kicks off Insurance Age’s countdown series.
Brown & Brown buys SME broker
Brown & Brown (Europe) has bought Irvine Commercial Insurance Brokers in its third deal of the year.
Partners& creates nine leadership roles
Partners& has restructured its general insurance business creating nine new managing partners roles across the UK.
RSA confirms rebrand to Intact
RSA will rebrand and change its trading name to Intact Insurance by the end of 2025.
Ripe completes GJW Direct buy
Ripe has bought boat insurance specialist GJW Direct from Munich Re Specialty.
Blog: Measure twice, cut once – how suitable is online distribution for D&O risks?
Online portals are a key element of streamlining insurance distribution, but they can present challenges as well as opportunities in affording clients effective D&O cover, asserts Craig Watson, underwriter, UK regional market, Kayzen Specialty.
News analysis: To what extent have brokers bought into Flood Re’s Build Back Better scheme?
Flood specialists warn of a persistent knowledge gap among general brokers, but highlight that more providers need to make the Build Back Better scheme available. Ida Axling reports.
Aviva reports 18% increase in ghost broking frauds in 2024
Aviva detected an 18% increase in ghost-brokered policies and linked an additional 8,600 cases to open investigations into known ghost broking cases in 2024.
MGA expands appetite for contractors to include builders, plant and skip hirers
Speciality insurance managing general agent Fiducia has expanded its risk appetite for combined liabilities insurance to include a range of new broker contractor clients.
Top 100 UK Broker Bartlett posts growth in 2024
Leeds-headquartered Bartlett Group grew turnover by 7.8% in the year ending 30 September 2024, building on expansion the year before.
Ardonagh Advisory buys ALP Holdings in Liverpool
Ardonagh Advisory has bought ALP Holdings, including its wholly owned subsidiary, Letton Percival.
Two specialty MGAs set to merge
Managing general agents Nirvana and Pulse have announced plans to merge their businesses.
PwC highlights pressure on motor, home and specialty insurance from Trump’s tariffs
PwC has warned of higher claims costs, particularly in motor and home, leading to pressure on premium rates due to the US placing new tariffs on its global trading partners.