United Kingdom (UK)
Newbie News: Podium Insurance Brokers
James Blair, CEO of Podium Insurance Brokers, tells Insurance Age how he started the business and how he aims to grow the specialist motorsport broker through word of mouth.
Allianz UK bolsters commercial digital trading team
Allianz UK has revealed a swathe of appointments and promotions in its commercial digital trading team with the investments including creating a dedicated expert digital distribution team for the first time.
Review of the Year 2024: SSP’s Martyn Mathews
Martyn Mathews, MD of SSP Broker reflects on disappointing vote-winning rhetoric, renaming the NEC the Mathews Arena, and asks whether the FCA might roll back a little on some of the principles of Consumer Duty and Fair Value
Ageas and Saga seal £207m partnership and Acromas deals
Ageas and over-50s specialist Saga have signed on the dotted line agreeing a 20-year partnership for motor and home insurance and the sale of Saga’s underwriting business, Acromas.
Meet the MGA feature: Arc Legal
Arc Legal CEO Lee Taylor outlines the value in having a supportive parent of the scale of AmTrust; and why it makes sense to keep an eye on legislation and social changes in order to innovate and develop new products.
Review of the Year 2024: Commercial Express’s Duncan Pritchard
Duncan Pritchard, managing director of Commercial Express would like to leave the term underinsurance behind in 2024, reflects on the amount of time he spent trying to get Oasis tickets, and why it would make perfect sense to appear on TV’s Survivor.
Aviva claims Acturis API first with broker roll out planned for Q1 2025
Aviva has become the first insurer to create a claims application programming interface for integration with software house Acturis.
i-Wonder and Compare The Market team up on bicycle insurance
i-Wonder has partnered with Compare the Market to launch the aggregator’s first bicycle insurance comparison service.
People Moves: 9 – 13 December 2024
Stay in the loop with the latest personnel moves in insurance.
Review of the Year 2024: Markerstudy’s Gary Humphreys
Gary Humphreys, group chief underwriting officer at Markerstudy, hails the completion of the Atlanta deal, dreams of having the MGA’s brand adorn the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and mulls sitting on the sofa and doing Channel 4’s Gogglebox.
Sicsic FOI uncovers insurance firms’ £2.7m S166 bill
Insurers and insurance intermediaries paid a total of £2.7m for Financial Conduct Authority-commissioned skilled persons reviews in the financial year 2023/24, according to a Freedom of Information request by Sicsic Advisory.
JMG expands into North Wales with Anchor buy
JMG Group company, Butterworth Spengler Insurance Brokers, has bought Anchor Insurance, growing its presence into North Wales.
FCA reveals review findings of first annual Consumer Duty board reports
The Financial Conduct Authority has set out five areas for improvements and five good aspects having reviewed the first annual Consumer Duty board reports from 180 firms.
£1.3bn tech firm targets brokers with premium finance launch
Credit technology provider Abound has launched a new premium finance solution which it claims will “revolutionise” the sector by replacing “slow and outdated direct debit system with instant, automated payments”.
Review of the Year 2024: Ageas’ Middle, Linklater, Clarke and Beckett
The senior Ageas team wish the term ghost broking is never uttered again, hope for a sustainable ecosystem for the repair and re-use of electric vehicle batteries, and consider what an insurance brokers showstopper might look like on Great British Bake…
Lycetts buys broker Cheviot
Lycetts has strengthened its presence in the North East, purchasing fellow Newcastle-based broker Cheviot Insurance Services.
FOS forecasts levy freeze at £70m
The Financial Ombudsman Service is planning to maintain its levy for 2025/26 at the £70m total set this financial year.
Drazen Jaksic named Zurich UK CEO as Bailey moves to global life role
Drazen Jaksic has been appointed Zurich UK CEO, moving across from being CEO of Zurich Benelux, as Tim Bailey switches to become CEO of the group’s new global life protection business.
FCA not seeking further headcount boost, says CEO Rathi
The Financial Conduct Authority is not “anticipating further significant growth” in headcount with the figure having risen from around 4,000 in 2020 to just over 5,000 today, CEO Nikhil Rathi has confirmed to the Treasury Committee.
Close Brothers to launch digital commission disclosure consent solution
Close Brothers Premium Finance has announced plans to launch a new digital solution to help brokers fulfill their commission disclosure consent obligations.
Flood Re promises more educational material for brokers in 2025
Flood Re is developing a series of new learning and educational materials for brokers and the wider insurance market for the new year, after recent changes to the scheme.
Simply Business names Julie Fisher as permanent UK CEO
Simply Business has appointed Julie Fisher as UK CEO having held the role on an interim basis.
Biba unveils ‘A New Era’ as 2025 conference theme
The British Insurance Brokers’ Association has revealed that ‘A New Era’ will be the theme for its 2025 conference to be held on 14 and 15 May in Manchester.
SRG buys broker R3
Specialist Risk Group has bought specialist insurance broker, R3, its eleventh acquisition of the year.