Insurer
Axa UK has said its underlying earnings for 2007 have grown by 15% to £354m.
Globally, the French insurer reported earnings of 5bn euros and a proposed divident of 1.20 euros per share, up 13%.
No, the earth didn’t move for me
With reports that the earthquake which struck the UK in the early hours of Wednesday morning will cost insurers at least £10m, Charlie Thomas asks: “Did anyone else miss the big shake?”
Brown and Brown's UK arm raids AJ Gallagher for start up team
Brown & Brown has confirmed some more details about Decus Insurance Brokers, its new UK subsidiary.
Groupama 'content to sacrifice volume' to continue strong profitability
Groupama has reported strong profitability in its annual results for 2007.
Private equity company in line to buy broker
Giles Insurance Brokers is understood to have been acquired by a private equity company, Insurance Age has learned.
Ecclesiastical latest insurer to join broker-owning ranks
Ecclesiastical has become the latest insurer to jump on the ‘buy-a-broker’ bandwagon with the purchase of equine specialists, South Essex Insurance Brokers (SEIB), for an undisclosed sum.
Smart & Cook moves to Dundee
National insurance broker Smart & Cook has opened its third Scottish office, in Discovery House on Dundee’s Technology Park.
Lark makes first Groupama-backed purchase
Lark Group has acquired Hampshire-based Griffiths Good & Company for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition will add around £7 million gross premium, £1m revenue and 14 staff to the group.
ABC appoints new underwriting head
ABC Insurance, part of the LV Group, has appointed Mike Crane as head of broker underwriting.
Martin Hudson - Under my umbrella
Martin Hudson speaks to Andrew Tjaardstra about leading Travelers' rebrand, managing broker relations and staff culture
Appointment at Ignition NBS
Derek Findlayson, the former head of UK business development at Groupama, has joined Axa-owned Ignit...
Appointment at Groupama Insurances
Groupama Insurances has recruited Laurent Matras as its managing director. Matras joins from Axa. ...
Philip Currie - Breaking the cycle
Director's Q&A
Northern exposure
This month's discussion highlights the Glasgow market, and how Scottish brokers have traditionally operated locally - but has the time come for this relatively small market to source business elsewhere?
Canary Wharf risk taken by NU
Norwich Union (NU) has embarked on a major insurance project at Canary Wharf as part of its commitme...
Howden to establish London medical malpractice team
Independent Lloyd's broker Howden has revealed plans to build a team in London to further enhance it...
Groupama Insurances appoints managing director
Groupama Insurances has appointed Laurent Matras as managing director. Mr Matras was previously fina...
The great unknown
Sub-prime impact
THB/PWS saga has happy ending as PB rounds up the last week
It has been rather difficult to ascertain the biggest story of the last seven days, writes Charlie Thomas, reporter at Professional Broking in our latest PB Week. First, the London Stock Exchange and FTSE 100 have performed a fine impression of a yo-yo…
CII membership sees best growth for 70 years
The CII group has announced its best year for membership growth since 1935. In 2007, CII membership grew to just under 92,000 members representing a 7.2% increase on 2006.
NU’s latest initiative sees 110 brokers sign up to ‘110’
Launched in November 2007, 110 brokers have already agreed to join Norwich Union’s (NU) exclusive club - called ‘110’ - which is by invitation only for brokers with an account of between £800,000 and £5m with NU.
Axa finance director to leave for Groupama
Groupama Insurances has announced the appointment of Laurent Matras as managing director.
Former AA chief heads to Iprism
Online small to medium-sized enterprise comparative quote facility Iprism has appointed Kevin Sinclair as managing director.
The distribution landscape
Focus: Distribution