Insurer
Policyfast in Aviva homework cover deal
Policyfast has announced an exclusive deal with Aviva to provide the insurer’s homework cover electronically to the broker market for the first time.
Laurent Matras defends new claims structure
Groupama’s managing director, Laurent Matras, has claimed the company’s new claims structure will make brokers “happier”.
Insurance Age blog: Sports people as biscuits, insurers as presenters
If you have never listened to Fighting Talk (Radio 5, Saturday 11am) then you are missing a trick. One of the staple jokes is ‘sports people as biscuits’ where Seb Coe becomes a Viennese Whirl, or Gareth Southgate is likened to a digestive, a good honest…
NIG defends “Guarantee to Beat” pricing strategy
NIG is promising brokers it will beat premiums by up to 5% on business held or quoted with 15 major insurance companies in the UK market.
Phil Bird leaves Groupama
Groupama Insurance’s claims director, Phil Bird, is to leave the company following an internal restructure.
Allianz creates new sales and partnerships role in Speciality Retail
Allianz Retail has recruited Simon Masding as head of sales and partnerships for its Speciality Retail division.
Post Intelligence Benchmarking: How do insurers measure up in the high net worth market
High net worth clients demand a high standard of service, as do their brokers, but which insurers are delivering it? Peter Joy unveils the answer.
ECIS targets brokers through new affinity division
Electrical Contractors’ Insurance Services (ECIS) has announced the creation a new affinity group division.
HSB focuses on North London with new development hire
HSB Engineering Insurance has appointed Chantell Scott as development executive with a focus on North London and the surrounding areas.
Markel International sees GWP grow but COR deteriorate
Markel International has announced it achieved $709m (£436m) of gross written premiums (GWP) for the year to 31 December 2010 (2009: $641.20m).
Brokers hit by further FSCS levy rise of over 50%
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) has announced that the general insurance mediation sub-class will have to contribute £93.5m in 2011/12 a 57% increase over last year’s levy (2010/11: £59.6m).
Enforcement welcome but lacks bite says motor industry
The insurance industry has delivered a mixed response to recent government forays into uninsured driving and the cost of insurance in the sector.
Reportage - engineering: Keeping things ticking over
With news of cutbacks to the HSE budget, there are fears the engineering inspection sector will suffer. Neil Clutterbuck advises how brokers can ensure their clients' equipment meets UK standards and help reduce risk.
Reportage - Environmental liability: Caring for the environment
As local authorities begin to grasp the new Environmental Damage Regulations, the number of cases ending in legal action looks set to rise. Liz McMahon clarifies how brokers operating in the agricultural sector can protect themselves and their clients.
E-commerce: OFT sends out data sharing warning to insurance industry
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) must clamp down on anti-competitive data sharing in the insurance industry, according to consumer watchdogs Which and Consumer Focus.
Reportage - Risk management: The commercial menu
Risk management is often touted as a way in which brokers can differentiate themselves from their competitors. Edward Murray asks why it is not offered to commercial clients as standard.
E-commerce: Simply Business reveals ambitious GWP growth plans
Simply Business, has unveiled a gross written premium target of £100m by the end of 2012, up from £41m last year.
Intermediary receives FSA fine and ban for 'turning blind eye'
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has fined an intermediary £25,000 and banned him from working in regulated financial services for his part in a scheme that defrauded Markel and QBE, through its agent Amalfi, of more than £2m.
Reportage - Commercial property: Businesses under the weather
Louise Phillips examines the risks facing commercial property when it comes to weather and how brokers should advise their clients to prepare for the worst and put in place measures to limit damage.
Mayer tasked with EMEA focus in London return
Igal Mayer has returned to London as Aviva's chief executive of Europe, Middle East and Africa. The move from CEO of the North American division comes a year after the implementation of the restructure, which saw Mark Hodges appointed to lead UK…
Norgrove makes swift exit from Travelers Ireland
Less than five months after joining from RSA, Travelers Ireland vice president, Ken Norgrove, has resigned to take up a senior post within Zurich's Irish operation, Insurance Age understands.
E-commerce: Commercial market struggles to meet fraud prevention demand
As the capacity for online small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) trading increases, the commercial insurance market continues to lag behind in fraud prevention, according to APC underwriting director, Ian Russell.
Director's and Officer's: A D&O deluge
Emmanuel Kenning takes an overview of the D&O sector and asks where the market will go next after a host of developments in 2010.
Social media: A squeaky clean image
As the potential grows for customers to express their opinion across numerous platforms, so too does the importance of preserving your reputation online. Jon Ralph reports on broker use of social media.