Commercial
Review of the Year 2024: OneAdvent’s Tim Quayle
Tim Quayle, CEO of OneAdvent, raises his eyebrows over the BMS/DR&P deal; would stress the importance of proportionality to the FCA; and believes 2024 will go down as the Era of Stability.
Review of the Year 2024: Flood Re’s Stuart Logue
Stuart Logue, interim CEO at Flood Re, reflects on its first Parliamentary drop-in sesson and the Flood Resilient Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show as well as sharing a prediction about Build Back Better.
Review of the Year 2024: Axa UK’s Paul Tombs and Matt Field
The Axa UK duo of Paul Tombs and Matt Field reflect on award wins; the fall-out of the Markerstudy-Atlanta deal and the success of its partnership with Liverpool FC.
Brokers urge Aviva not to let DLG deal dull service
Brokers have hailed the ongoing improvements at Aviva and called on the provider not to be knocked off course in the regional market should the Direct Line Group takeover complete as expected.
Review of the Year 2024: Acrisure UK’s Mark McIlquham
Mark McIlquham, CEO of Acrisure UK, expresses disappointment at high-quality independent intermediaries selling to consolidators; still thinks a big insurer might snap up a broker; and reckons his children would take delight in watching him take part in…
Financial Affairs buys Owen & Ewing
Burnley-based Financial Affairs has completed its fourth acquisition purchasing Owen & Ewing Insurance Brokers.
Allianz UK bolsters commercial digital trading team
Allianz UK has revealed a swathe of appointments and promotions in its commercial digital trading team with the investments including creating a dedicated expert digital distribution team for the first time.
Review of the Year 2024: Commercial Express’s Duncan Pritchard
Duncan Pritchard, managing director of Commercial Express would like to leave the term underinsurance behind in 2024, reflects on the amount of time he spent trying to get Oasis tickets, and why it would make perfect sense to appear on TV’s Survivor.
JMG expands into North Wales with Anchor buy
JMG Group company, Butterworth Spengler Insurance Brokers, has bought Anchor Insurance, growing its presence into North Wales.
£1.3bn tech firm targets brokers with premium finance launch
Credit technology provider Abound has launched a new premium finance solution which it claims will “revolutionise” the sector by replacing “slow and outdated direct debit system with instant, automated payments”.
Close Brothers to launch digital commission disclosure consent solution
Close Brothers Premium Finance has announced plans to launch a new digital solution to help brokers fulfill their commission disclosure consent obligations.
Simply Business names Julie Fisher as permanent UK CEO
Simply Business has appointed Julie Fisher as UK CEO having held the role on an interim basis.
The stats: Q3 2024 – Return to growth across the board
Growth in average commercial lines premiums has picked up again in the third quarter of 2024, following a slow-down in the first half of the year, according to the latest Acturis Commercial Broking Index. Ida Axling reports.
Review of the Year 2024: Pen Underwriting’s Nick Wright
Nick Wright, chief development officer at Pen Underwriting, questions the market’s short memory with regards boom-and-bust; is interested in the future of PIB and pan-European consolidation; and offers a pitch to take part in Bear Grylls’s The Island.
Axa Commercial boss Walker targets turnaround time for brokers
Axa Commercial is two thirds of the way through a technology transformation programme, and Commercial CEO Jon Walker is looking to shorten turnaround times in terms of risk appetite.
SRG buys broker R3
Specialist Risk Group has bought specialist insurance broker, R3, its eleventh acquisition of the year.
Aviva promotes Mark Skillern to head of broker strategic accounts
Aviva has promoted Mark Skillern to head of broker strategic accounts, Insurance Age can reveal, with the provider labelling his promotion as “the final piece in the strategic accounts senior leadership team”, which is led by broker distribution director…
Review of the Year 2024: Allianz Commercial’s Nick Hobbs
Allianz Commercial chief distribution officer Nick Hobbs is intrigued by Aviva’s Probitas deal, bemoans the continued presence of underinsurance and hopes that the term ‘insurer service’ is consigned to the clickbait dustbin.
Gallagher to cement UK broking top spot with £10.5bn AssuredPartners swoop
Broking giant Arthur J. Gallagher has signed a definitive agreement to acquire US rival AssuredPartners, it announced this morning.
No change to Premium Credit disclosure arrangements
Premium Credit is not asking distribution partners to make any changes to existing customer journeys after reviewing the implications of a legal ruling for commission disclosure in motor finance.
Review of the Year 2024: Collegiate’s Richard Turnbull
Collegiate managing director Richard Turnbull expresses disappointment with the return of the ‘pay-to-play’ model in broking, surprise at Aon’s acquisition of Griffith & Armour and considers whether 2024 was the ‘era of repeating past mistakes’.
US insurance group looks to sign up MGA partners after UK arm gets PRA nod
US specialty insurer Fortega has received approval to establish Fortegra Insurance Company UK.
Review of the year 2024: Brown & Brown’s Sime
Chris Sime, group markets director at Brown & Brown Europe, predicts a UK consolidator could get taken out by a US broker, wonders why buyers continue to pay multiples on unrealistic Ebitda projections and mulls what a Blanc/Winslow reunion might look…
Interview: Nikki Lidster, Zurich
Nikki Lidster sets out her promises to brokers having taken up the post of head of SME and trading at Zurich earlier this year.