Aggregators
E-commerce: Insurance professionals miss out on social networking opportunities
The insurance industry has failed to jump on board the social media marketing bandwagon, despite growing use in other economic sectors.
Reportage: Transactional websites - what are the benefits for brokers?
By automating personal lines underwriting and providing clients with more than just a place to go window shopping, Kevin Child explains how brokers can benefit from creating fully transactional websites.
Power hour: A cooperative coalition?
This month's power hour assesses the impact the Con-Dem Government has already had on insurance and debates how it will continue to influence the industry in the future. Liz McMahon reports.
Agenda: KIC first half 2010 results and outlook
Letter to president Petrov Arverbeyev, Kazakhstan Insurance Company
Moneyextra.com sells up and surrenders to rival aggregators
Price comparison site Moneyextra.com has finally admitted defeat in its bid to compete with the UK's top four aggregators after the company was sold for £1.
Fairpoint buys Moneyextra.com for £1
Fairpoint Group has acquired 100% of the share capital of Moneyextra.com in a bid to extend the group from a debt solutions business into a broader-based financial solutions company.
Octagon extends its aggregator presence
Octagon Insurance has joined the comparethemarket.com panel.
Fraud pushes up motor premiums
Fraud is helping to push car insurance premiums up at their fastest-ever rate, according to the latest AA British Insurance Premium Index.
The PB interview - Bill Cooper: Bright light in the gloom
Andrew Tjaardstra meets Bill Cooper, managing director for insurance in the financial institutions division at Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets. Despite being cautious about prospects for brokers as the UK's economic malaise continues, the firm is very much…
Focus - technology: Taming the tide of systems improvement
The technology ocean requires time, flexibility and planning to navigate safely and, as the aggregator model shows, there is great danger in being left behind a business ship bound for new, exciting and profitable lands, writes Ed Murray.
BeatThatQuote and MSN launch comparison site
Comparison website BeatThatQuote has secured a new partnership deal with MSN to set up financial price comparison site MSN Compare.
Polly C
Polly loves a divisive figure and, quite frankly, the insurance industry could do with more of them. There is no denying that the now infamous Gio Compario is the aggregators' answer to Marmite and Polly was pleased to learn that the gregarious tenor had…
Reportage - SME aggregators: See you later, aggregator?
As issues of trading SME business through the aggregator channel are brought to light, Edward Murray asks whether it is too complex a sector to ever be successfully sold in bulk.
E-commerce: Non-intermediaries set to muscle in on micro market
Brokers that fail to embrace technology-savvy trading risk losing their majority share of the micro commercial market.
Uncertainty for aggregator as CEO position remains vacant
Tesco Compare has refused to confirm whether it will fill its vacant chief executive position and has hinted that the site, which was heralded to become a top aggregator, may be marketed solely to the supermarket's customers in the future.
IAG boosts UK claims reserves
Insurance Australia Group (IAG) said that due to a "significant deterioration in UK claim experience", in particular bodily injury claims, it has conducted an independent actuarial review of its UK business.
Technology: Commercial e-trading starts to come of age at Biba 2010
Emmanuel Kenning reports on the excitement at this year's industry conference at London ExCeL, where brokers beat a path to access the cost-saving, revenue generating technology on offer from software exhibitors.
Confused creates new marketing role
Price comparison site Confused has announced the appointment of Mike Hoban to the newly-created position of chief marketing officer.
Reportage - state of the market: A very British coup
Unlike our continental cousins, buying insurance online has become de rigeur for the UK public - but it is not all doom and gloom for personal lines brokers. Louise Meeson reports on the state of market.
E-commerce: Coverzones revival to spark more aggregator integration
The re-launch of Coverzones, which was recently saved from administration, could trigger greater integration between commercial and personal aggregators, following overtures from its chief executive.
Schemes: Scheme boom to drive down rates
Commercial affinity schemes are growing in popularity but increased competition could have a detrimental impact on rates.
Coverzones bought out of administration
Coverzones’ assets have been bought out of administration by its management team, supported by an unnamed major private investor.
Coverzones ceases trading
In a statement on its website, Coverzones, the online business insurance price comparison and policy management firm said: “This site is closed and Coverzones is not accepting any new business.”
Helping yourself
Anne Hudson outlines the benefits of commercial insurance e-trading and urges brokers to embrace web self-service or risk being left on the shelf