Fleet
Patons hones in on £35m target as it grows by 16.6%
Patons Insurance reached £31.5m of gross written premiums in the 2024/25 financial year, growing by 16.6% compared to the year before.
Interview: Keith Hector, Covéa
Keith Hector, commercial lines director at Covéa, looks to make e-trade limits more flexible, highlights “buoyant” schemes business, and teases new products as he targets £200m GWP in 2025.
The stats: Q1 2025 sees commercial rates flattening, as experts predict market softening
Property owners and fleet premiums continue to rise but at a slower pace, while combined liability rates dip into negative figures in Q1 2025, according to the Acturis Commercial Broking Index. Ida Axling reports.
Direct Commercial rolls out larger commercial vehicles product on Acturis
Direct Commercial has launched Haul In One Truck IHP on the Acturis platform, extending the availability of its Haul In One proposition to include larger commercial vehicles and staking a claim for an industry first.
Radius Insurance MD sees “huge” opportunity to put “foot on the gas”
Philip Thorn, Radius Insurance Solutions managing director, is eyeing up the opportunities from being a true risk advisor and broker, as he highlights possibilities to lean into the wider group’s customer base.
Brown & Brown buys SME broker
Brown & Brown (Europe) has bought Irvine Commercial Insurance Brokers in its third deal of the year.
Acorn boosts GWP by over 40% in 2024
Merseyside-based Acorn Group has reported gross written premiums soared 41% to record £742m in the financial year ending 31 December 2024.
Brown & Brown acquires firm from fellow top 100 UK broker
Brown & Brown has purchased commercial motor insurance specialist BCM Acquisitions, trading as 1st UK Broking.
Meet the MGA: MX Underwriting
Ian Cook, managing director at MX Underwriting, explains why he believes MGAs are not suffering a capacity crunch, and outlines plans to write in excess of £200m GWP in 2025 and add to MX’s product range and capability.
Interview: Mike Bottle, managing director of the Arch Insurance UK regional division
After a decade of transformation, multi-award-winning Arch is very much open for business with brokers and ready for more profitable growth across its regional network, hub and digital offerings, boss Mike Bottle tells Insurance Age.
The stats: Q4 2024 – Premium growth continues, but at a slower pace
The Acturis Commercial Broking Index reveals further premium increases at the end of the year, but experts predict the market is set for softening in 2025. Ida Axling reports.
Radius Insurance Solutions adds ex-Aon and Hiscox leader Philip Thorn as MD
Radius Insurance Solutions has appointed Philip Thorn from Aon as managing director, succeeding Matt Kirby.
Market Movement Index: Brokers cutting agencies to focus on fewer insurers
Analysis from Broker Insights shows brokers are consolidating agency numbers and ending relationships with smaller, less useful, insurers. Rachel Gordon breaks down the data.
Broker optimism on the up in fleet
Direct Commercial’s latest broker barometer has found 56% of brokers experienced difficulties in securing coverage for smaller fleets in the last quarter, a slight improvement from 60% earlier in the year.
The stats: Q3 2024 – Return to growth across the board
Growth in average commercial lines premiums has picked up again in the third quarter of 2024, following a slow-down in the first half of the year, according to the latest Acturis Commercial Broking Index. Ida Axling reports.
People Moves: 2 – 6 December 2024
Follow the latest insurance personnel moves.
Partners& in triple swoop
Partners& has added another two brokers and a managing general agent to its stable, Insurance Age can reveal.
SRG adds Essex-based business as latest buy
Specialist Risk Group has acquired Essex-based One Claim Limited.
Ex-Open GI duo launch digital marketplace for brokers
A pair of Open GI veterans have teamed up to launch what they describe as a “leading digital insurance marketplace", offering insurance brokers a "unique opportunity to acquire exclusive access to online leads”.
PIB returns to buying with RS Insurance Brokers
Consolidator PIB has bought Nottingham-based RS Insurance Brokers, adding expertise in fleet and professional indemnity to its portfolio of specialisms.
QBE opens “benchmark” Leeds office with more broker contact promise
QBE has opened a new office in Leeds making a £3.6m investment in the city for its second largest European site.
Ex-Esure, L&G and Direct Line boss Peter Graham joins Markerstudy
Former CEO of Esure Peter Graham has been appointed as non-executive chairman (designate) of Markerstudy Insurance Services.
Flock launches insurance for removal fleets
Insurtech Flock has rolled out a motor fleet insurance product for professional removal and storage companies available through brokers and directly.
Allianz reveals rise in cloned businesses motor fleet fraud attempts
Allianz UK has reported a “marked increase” in fake or cloned businesses claims coming through in the first half of the year, as it also highlighted strong collaboration with brokers has further heightened fraud awareness and detection.