News Analysis
Market Moves: December 2022
Keep up to date with the latest personnel moves in insurance.
News analysis: What next for brokers amid FCA premium finance crackdown?
The Financial Conduct Authority’s premium finance crackdown threatens a significant revenue earner for brokers. Big players with strong balance sheets are making moves
Ransomware-hit SSP under broker fire amid latest issues
SSP has been told it must improve service after the latest attack caused Axa to cut off its personal lines to brokers
Chaucer launches new ESG ‘scorecard’
Chaucer has rolled out an initiative to measure the environmental, social and governance performance of clients and business partners.
Under 20% of firms meet FCA expectations on attestation records
Only 11 out of 66 firms in the Financial Conduct Authority’s general insurance pricing review provided attestation records that met the regulator’s expectations.
Turnover tops £20m at Alan Boswell after reshuffle
Alan Boswell Insurance Brokers has posted a 50% leap in turnover to £20.75m in the year to 31 March 2022 after a re-organisation brought two sister-companies into the firm.
Axa resumes SSP broker service after cutting off cyber-hit software house
Axa has resumed services with SSP having cut off services to the cyber-hit software house as a precautionary measure
A system to categorise cyber incidents in the pipeline - CFC head Burns
At the CFC Cyber Forum yesterday, James Burns, head of cyber at CFC, revealed plans to categorise cyber incidents, just like weather events, to determine the impact of each incident and to help insurers and brokers regulate the severity of subsequent…
Brokers say SSP ransomware attack not disrupting their systems
SSP has been hit by a cyber security breach from the Lockbit ransomware group, but brokers say their systems are unaffected.
Aviva’s Yabantu: Work to be done, but underinsurance message is cutting through
Aviva’s new director of mid market, schemes & regional speciality Michael Yabantu, believes that its efforts to raise the profile of the underinsurance issue are getting through to brokers and end-customers.
IFAs who mis-sold pensions to steel workers fear insurers will reject PI claims
Financial advisers who mis-sold pensions to British Steel workers ‘are concerned that their professional indemnity insurance may not respond to claims’, it has emerged in a regulatory update.
FCA launches phase two of enhanced oversight programme for newly authorised firms
The Financial Conduct Authority has confirmed the start of phase two in its Early and High Growth Oversight programme and an expansion to feature 300 firms.
Fitch warns of deteriorating outlook for UK insurers
Fitch Ratings has delivered a split forecast for 2023 with the outlook for company market insurers deteriorating while London Market players have a ‘neutral’ ranking.
FCA sinking 'into a quicksand’ – brokers react to latest threat on fair value
The Financial Conduct Authority is sinking 'into a quicksand’ as it ups the ante over insurance firms failing to offer customers fair value.
Insurers face fresh broker scrutiny on fair value amid latest FCA data
Brokers have been told the Financial Conduct Authority’s latest release of fair value data raises searching questions over whether their insurer partners are offering fair value.
‘We expect insurers to pay’ – FCA agrees compensation for steel workers to trigger IFA claims
The FCA today agreed compensation for British Steel workers, meaning brokers are now braced for professional indemnity claims from financial advisers who gave them poor pensions advice.
Meet the MGA: Specialty MGA
With a USP of providing brokers and their clients with "immediate and predictable answers," Specialty MGA UK’s chief underwriting officer Philippe Bara outlines his plans for the new business.
Ardonagh restructures UK commercial and retail MGA offerings
Ardonagh has reorganised its UK commercial and retail MGAs, with businesses and brands aligned by client type across its platforms, Insurance Age can reveal.
FSCS maintains broker levy at £5.3m and forecasts no increase for 2023/24
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme has kept the 2022/23 levy for brokers at £5.3m as it revealed the bill for 2023/24 is poised to be the same again.
Brokers await imminent FCA ruling which is expected to trigger claims from IFAs
A Financial Conduct Authority ruling which could trigger professional indemnity claims from independent financial advisers is expected at any moment.
Airmic CEO warns industry of challenging times ahead
Julia Graham, CEO at Airmic, has stressed the harsh market has given insurers and brokers new challenges and that difficult times are ahead.
Ardonagh free cashflow declines to £7.8m as debt payments rise
Ardonagh’s free cashflow has deteriorated to £7.8m for the first nine months of this year as it pays off interest from its £2.68bn net debts.
PIB swoops for personal lines specialist Jigsaw Insurance
PIB is poised to buy Harrogate-headquartered broker Jigsaw Insurance Services Plc for up to £24.12m in cash marking a significant step in personal lines for the consolidator.
CII denies exam costs are ‘far too high’ amid ‘recruitment crisis’
The Chartered Insurance Institute has been told its exam costs are ‘far too high’ and is being urged to cut prices to attract people into insurance amid a recruitment crisis.