News Analysis
Broker worries bubbling up on Ageas-Direct Line but one hope trumps all
Brokers have raised concerns about the impact on the sector if Ageas snaps up Direct Line but expressed confidence in the potential buyer’s management should a deal come to pass.
Trade Credit Insurance is again in the spotlight. How can brokers take advantage?
Described as a ‘sleeping giant’ of the insurance market, brokers should wise up to the opportunities offered by trade credit. Especially, as Martin Friel discovers, recent geo-political events mean this vital safety for businesses is edging to toward the…
FOI request pulls back the curtain on FCA’s broker S166s
A Freedom of Information request by Insurance Age to the Financial Conduct Authority has revealed further details on the spike in insurance skilled persons reports.
Analysis: What can brokers expect from RSA’s new-look commercial senior team?
With a new-look senior commercial lines team in place, brokers must hope RSA is done with chopping and changing at the top. Jonathan Swift assesses what the future might hold now dates have been set for the NIG integration.
Holmes promises to ramp up focus on smaller brokers and across mid-market
Allianz has been growing in SME business and will push ahead further with smaller brokers this year alongside targeting growth in mid-market, according to UK CEO Colm Holmes.
Has cyber reached a tipping point with new entrants and incumbent product pushes?
Against a backdrop where the Financial Conduct Authority has warned the cyber insurance market over its concerns on policy wordings, a recent survey has found over one-third of brokers are still not selling this product. Siân Barton mulls whether a raft…
News analysis: Employee ownership – how does it work for brokers?
Towards the end of 2023, Thomas Carroll became the latest broker to become employee-owned. Ida Axling looks at the benefits of the model for intermediaries and how the sale of Ten to Acrisure busted one myth that they cannot be sold.
All FCA authorisation metrics out of red zone
No Financial Conduct Authority authorisation metrics were rated red in the third quarter of 2023/24, with brokers also seeing an improvement in most key areas affecting the sector.
Ardonagh Advisory targeting deal a month in 2024
Ardonagh Advisory is expecting to match its seven deals in 2023 in just the first half of this year, according to chief commercial officer Phil Bayles.
Banga commits to more Polaris developments as insurers push the boundaries on digital trading
Having just completed five years as managing director of Polaris, Vivek Banga has promised more developments from the “core and essential” digital trading offering in 2024 after £2.5m of investment last year.
Axa pulls the plug on motorbike business
Axa will stop underwriting motorbike insurance from March, Insurance Age can reveal.
Interactive insurance broker UK M&A Map 2024
In 2023, Insurance Age reported on 114 UK broker deals with Brown & Brown Europe leading the way with 21.
South West tops survey for insurance account executive pay rises
The 2024 average salary for insurance account executives is up 7.5% in the South West, the highest rise in the UK closely followed by Wales and East Anglia, according to a survey by recruitment consultants Reed.
Broker Diversity Push: Broking gender diversity in leadership stuck at 16%
The latest update to Insurance Age’s Broker Diversity Push benchmark has revealed women still only hold 16.61% of six key leadership roles in broking.
Fitch: Improving outlook for insurers but no room for complacency
The effect of “baked in” pricing improvements and easing economic headwinds gives an improving outlook for insurers this year, but will only make it less bad than 2023, according to Fitch.
Travelers steps back from Biba partner status
Travelers did not renew its partnership status with the British Insurance Brokers’ Association on 31 December 2023, but will be exhibiting at the trade body’s conference in Manchester this May.
Brown & Brown rolls out on Acturis
Brown & Brown is moving its retail platform to Acturis, Insurance Age can reveal.
The American consolidators are not done yet
Recent years have been notable for the amount of consolidation led by US-based insurance brokers. Ida Axling looks at whether these players are likely to continue doing deals at the same rate and what is driving these buying sprees.
Qmetric reveals £41m loss in run-up to sale
Policy Expert owner Qmetric lost £41.06m last financial year ahead of being bought by the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, which has gone on to invest £35m in the business.
Waste management and recycling plant insurance – a market short on capacity
Media stories of massive premium hikes highlight issues in the waste management and recycling insurance market.
Jensten deal spend tops £70m as losses widen
Jensten’s post-tax losses worsened to £32.8m in the year ended 31 March 2023, from £21.5m the year before.
Romero boosted turnover and growth by more than 20% in run up to sale
Romero Insurance Brokers achieved a 31% rise in post-tax profits to £5.04m ahead of being snapped up by AssuredPartners.
Simply Business the template as Liz Bilney launches new broker Fuzzy Insurance
Liz Bilney, the former head of Somerset Bridge, has parked the plans for Lumun and rolled out commercial broker Fuzzy Insurance with a target of £4m gross written premium in the first year growing to 50 staff in year three.
Circle grows turnover, profits and headcount
Post tax profits at Circle 1991, the holding company for Circle Insurance Services, rose by nearly 20% in the year ended 30 April 2023 as turnover and headcount also grew.