News Analysis
Is it a golden age for broker start-ups, despite rising costs?
The CEO of Brokerring, Stuart Randall, recently told delegates at Broker Expo 2022 it can cost £250,000 to start-up a brokerage. Sophie Locke-Cooper explores why it is now so expensive - and whether it is proving detrimental to those seeking to go alone.
Fair value? Which household insurers are rejecting the most claims?
Ageas, Axa UK and LV have some of the highest claims rejection rates in home insurance out of all the insurers who work with brokers, Financial Conduct Authority figures show.
UK broking M&A shrinking in 2022 as market becomes saturated
UK broking deals valued at £5m and above are set to reduce in 2022 as the number of available brokers for purchase shrinks.
RSA can no longer 'hide behind the screen' to engage brokers - Catherine Frost
Stakeholder engagement with brokers is a priority for increased visibility, according to RSA regional managing director Catherine Frost.
FCA ‘haven’t thought through’ plans for PI insurers to pay millions in IFA claims
Insurers have a number of valid reasons to reject claims from IFAs who mis-sold pensions to British steel workers, according to a legal expert.
Backpage: December 2022
The lighter side of the world of insurance.
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.