Property
Brown & Brown Europe to buy Occam Underwriting
Brown & Brown Europe, recently rebranded from Global Risk Partners, has signed up to buy 100% of space and terrorism specialist managing general agent Occam Underwriting.
‘Investing in small brokers’ – Clear snaps up Kent property owners’ specialist
Clear Group has snapped up Kent-based broker Miles Archer as its latest acquisition.
Markerstudy CEO Spencer targeting Admiral’s crown as UK’s top PL player after Atlanta deal
Markerstudy is only £301m of gross written premium away from potentially overtaking Admiral as the UK’s largest personal lines player after the £1.2bn Atlanta deal last week, according to its CEO Kevin Spencer.
Markerstudy to merge with Atlanta Group in £1.2bn deal
Markerstudy has today confirmed plans to merge with Ardonagh’s personal lines broking business Atlanta Group, in a deal that creates a business that transacts £3bn of GWP annually and employs 7300 people.
Profile – Stephanie Ogden, HDI Global: Making a difference
Having progressed from a graduate trainee in Guildford to Allianz branch manager in Scotland, and via Lloyd’s in London to UK & Ireland managing director for HDI Global, Stephanie Ogden is ready to take brokers on the next step of the German-owned…
Broking Success: Celebrating 50 years of independence
Having celebrated its 50th anniversary as an independent broker, R A Cowen & Partners, which is part of Cowens Group, has no plans to sell up any time soon. CEO Paul Chaplin sets out the philosophy behind the business and shares his route into broking.
Biba launches latent defects scheme
The British Insurance Brokers’ Association has teamed up with specialist broker GBW to launch a latent defects scheme, consisting of building warranty cover tailored for the property development and construction industry.
Jensten strikes biggest deal to date as its snaps up One Broker
Jensten has made its largest acquisition to date, acquiring East Anglian-based One Broker Group for an undisclosed amount, subject to regulatory approval.
Home insurance premium hikes hit new high, according to Consumer Intelligence
The average quoted price of home insurance rose by 25.7% in the past year – the highest annual increase on record, according to the latest Consumer Intelligence Home Insurance Price Index.
Brokers warn RSA not to lose NIG’s ‘sparkle’ in takeover as market diversity diminishes
Brokers have expressed their sadness at losing another market, but acknowledged the proposed takeover of NIG by RSA could be superb for both parties – provided the integration is handled properly.
Castle strikes second deal under GRP with Square Circle buy
Castle Insurance has bought 100% of Square Circle Brokers in its second buy since becoming Global Risk Partners’ North-East hub in May 2022.
Qlaims updates commercial lines offering
Qlaims has enhanced its commercial lines claims assistance services, following feedback from brokers.
Insurance scams totalling £1.1bn detected in 2022
The value of the average insurance fraud case rose by 20% to £15,000 in 2022, according to the Association of British Insurers.
MGA Eaton Gate targets “next stage of growth” with SiriusPoint capacity
MGA group Eaton Gate has announced a new partnership with SiriusPoint, the specialty insurer and reinsurer.
Swindle targets doubling Ardonagh UK commercial MGA in three years
Ardonagh’s UK Commercial MGA CEO Jaime Swindle is targeting doubling the size of the business in the next three years taking it into the region of £500m gross written premium.
Aviva expands appetite to boost sustainable building projects
Aviva has expanded its underwriting appetite to include engineered timber in commercial developments following a pilot, which saw it working with a handful of developers on sustainable building projects.
MGA bolsters team following resignations amid Ardonagh staff interest
Managing general agent Mercia Underwriting says it has bolstered the team after a number of staff resigned from positions.
Flood Re names Bridget Rosewell as chair to succeed Mark Hoban
Flood Re has appointed Bridget Rosewell as non-executive director and chair-designate to succeed outgoing Mark Hoban, taking up the chair post at the end of September.
UK commercial hardening drops to 1%
Insurance pricing in the UK commercial market rose by only 1% in the second quarter of 2023, according to Marsh, its lowest rate since Q4 2018.
Flood Re on Build Back Better broker education drive
Brokers have engaged with Build Back Better, and want to communicate the benefits to clients, Flood Re CEO Andy Bord has confirmed, as the mutual reinsurer outlined plans to help educate the sector.
Zurich exits regional and national broker personal lines channels
Zurich UK has today announced plans to refocus its personal lines home and motor business to concentrate on high net worth through Zurich Private Clients, alongside its MGA and partnership channels.
In Depth: Could legal expenses have a role to play as the landlord pressure cooker reaches boiling point?
Specialist legal expenses cover has the potential to turn down the heat as those renting out property face challenges on all fronts, including from the Renters (Reform) Bill. Rachel Gordon investigates.
Experts call on brokers to take action as climate change drives shift in flood risk
Flood insurance specialists have urged brokers to stay on top of how they can help clients as the number of natural catastrophe weather events in the UK continues to increase due to climate change. Ida Axling investigates.
Clear Group in double broker swoop
Clear Group has sealed a pair of broker deals, buying Mayor Broking and MJB Finningley.