Marketing
Polly C – the hottest insurance gossip
Polly’s attention has been drawn to a tricky situation facing brokers and their insurer accounts.
Lessons from history: wise head or old fool?
Tony Cornell wonders if the near collapse of AIG could have been avoided by learning lessons from the past
Reportage: Facing up to networks
With networks increasing in popularity, Emmanuel Kenning recounts their development and looks to the future of this crucial market sector.
Management - Broking success: making the connection
Liz McMahon talks to Autonet MD Glynn Keeling about the value of a strong audit process and striking a balance between online business and customer communication.
Ecclesiastical appoints product development leader
Ecclesiastical has named Jo Kibble as its new head of product and proposition development reporting to strategic marketing director Mike Mintram.
New software house launches platform for brokers
Wanna Insure has launched a end-to-end software platform which it claims reduces the development costs and implementation time for products inherent in legacy software house solutions.
Profile - Henry Engelhardt: Admiral of the fleet
Henry Engelhardt was at the bow when the Admiral ship first set sail and he led the company onto the stock exchange when it floated in 2004. Emmanuel Kenning talks to the CEO about claims, pricing and the source of great market envy - the provider's COR.
Polly C - the hottest insurance gossip
Polly was delighted to spend a January evening in the company of the charming communications peeps at BGL Group, owner of Comparethemarket.com among other things.
Reportage - Scheme innovation: Creative sparks
Has the financial crisis forced insurers to become more imaginative with new products and schemes or are they following where brokers lead? Louise Phillips investigates the catalyst for recent innovation in the market.
Reportage - Online schemes: Choosing channels
How does e-trading apply to schemes? Edward Murray explores whether the returns are worth the time and money brokers invest in putting schemes online or if they sell better off the back of face-to-face relationships.
Reportage - Setting up a scheme: A scheming mind
Louise Meeson uncovers what a successful scheme looks like and offers practical advice on how brokers can identify and run one - should they find an existing niche or create one, how do they sell it to the insurer and is it possible to win schemes from…
News Analysis: Changing course at Aviva
Andrew Tjaardstra discusses Aviva's change in fortunes and direction since the departure of former chief executive Igal Mayer to head up the insurer's North American operations.
Market Watch - Networks: Opening connections
Emmanuel Kenning argues that broker networks are becoming more popular, though managers need to think carefully about the offerings available through them before committing their firms.
Viewpoint: Time to put things right
With poor motor results continuously dismissed as being due to external factors, David Vine asks why insurers choose to ignore the evidence that would enable accurate pricing and, in turn, profit.
Schemes news: Heath Lambert secures two significant affinity contracts
Heath Lambert has scooped two major affinity deals with RAC and Express Newspapers.
Advertising power acknowledged
Aggregators have admitted that their financial performance has become increasingly dependent upon the success of advertising campaigns.
Legal: Social media do’s and don’ts
Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are valid tools for public-facing communications, though their ubiquity and ease of use present some dangers, writes Emma Bate.
Hastings appoints former Kwik Fit ecomms and marketing chief
Broker Hastings Direct has appointed Michael Lynch as its new head of marketing services.
News Analysis - Broker growth: A step up before the cuts
In the last three months, the financial sector grew at its fastest since June 2007 according to research from PricewaterhouseCoopers and the CBI, which was good news for brokers.
Focus - CSR: Helping hands
Ask a broker about its corporate social responsibility programme and the chances are you'll be met by either a blank stare or a look of pure cynicism. Yet beneath the surface, when it comes to philanthropic aspects, many are punching above their weight,…
Broking success - Grove & Dean: Racing ahead
Emmanuel Kenning speaks with Damian Collett about mastering the art of a multi-niche approach.
CBG marketing manager triumphs at CII Manchester awards
CBG Group’s marketing manager, Stuart Turnbull, has won the President’s Outstanding Achievement accolade at the Chartered Insurance Institute’s Manchester Insurance Awards.
The PB Interview: Grahame Chilton: Global visibility
Andrew Tjaardstra meets Grahame Chilton, vice-chairman at Aon Group, who is relishing the company's sponsorship deal with Manchester United that astonished both the insurance and marketing worlds when it was announced last summer.
Video: Broker Expo workshop - sneak preview
Welcome to a short series of videos giving a sneak preview of what you can expect from the four workshops at this year's Broker Expo