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Why Ageas buying Direct Line makes sense now
Having been talked about as a takeover target itself in recent years, content director Jonathan Swift observes Ageas’ move for Direct Line marks a change in fortunes for the Belgian insurance group and makes perfect sense in terms of fit and timing.
Direct Line confirms it rejected ‘opportunistic’ Ageas bid
Direct Line has said it received an approach to buy the group from Ageas on 19 January, which it felt “significantly undervalued” the group and its prospects.
Ageas mulls £3.1bn bid for Direct Line
Ageas has confirmed that it is in the “preliminary stages” of considering a £3.1bn bid for Direct Line.
ManyPets co-founder to step down as Barile takes on group CEO role
Steven Mendel, CEO of ManyPets parent ManyGroup, has announced that he will step down from his role in mid-April and be replaced by current ManyPets UK CEO Luisa Barile.
ABI outlines plan to tackle motor insurance premiums
The Association of British Insurers has unveiled steps the industry will take to bring down motor insurance premiums after the cost of cover soared by 25% in 2023.
CII’s Groves on bridging the climate expectations gap
Trade Voice: Tim Groves, programme development and partnership manager at the Chartered Insurance Institute, considers ways to bridge the gap between the risks insurers are able to cover and those the public think they should cover.
60 Seconds With... Domestic & General’s Hannah Kershaw
Hannah Kershaw, chief product officer at Domestic & General, shares her love of Moira Rose’s humour and confidence on Schitt’s Creek, and why she goes with her gut instinct.
Motorists living in diverse areas pay more for car insurance
Customers in the most ethnically diverse areas in England face higher car insurance premiums than those in areas with fewer minorities, a BBC investigation has revealed.
NFU Mutual lifts the lid on cost of recent storms
NFU Mutual has urged customers to make flood-resilient repairs, after revealing £10m of flood damage was reported to it following Storm Henk last month.
What M&A activity in 2023 indicates for deals in 2024
Data analysis: The number of UK insurance merger and acquisition deals rose from 98 in 2022 to 112 in 2023, but total deal value fell significantly from £5.1bn to £3.3bn year-on-year.
British Insurance Awards deadline for entries is 1 March
The clock is ticking to enter the 2024 British Insurance Awards – all entries must be submitted by the 1 March deadline.
Profits jump £1m as Zurich UK enjoys stable growth in 2023
Zurich UK has reported a 9% increase in GWP for its property and casualty business in 2023, while profits jumped by £1m.
Apil’s Jonathan Scarsbrook on why consumers should be furious
Trade Voice: Jonathan Scarsbrook, president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, argues costlier-than-ever car insurance isn’t delivering for consumers.
Pace of motor insurance inflation starts to slow
Data analysis: While comprehensive car insurance premiums increased sharply by 58% (£366) during 2023, Emma Ann Hughes examines how the latest data suggests drivers will not face as big a bumph in the cost of cover this year.
Insurers liable for loss of credit hire rental income, rules Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has ruled that insurers are liable to pay for loss of rental income when credit hire vehicles are taken off the road by traffic accidents.
LV partners with Altilium and Synetiq to recycle EV batteries
Clean technology group Altilium has announced a partnership with LV and vehicle salvage supplier Synetiq, aiming to recycle electric vehicle batteries from written-off vehicles.
Admiral partners with Google Cloud for new products
Admiral has struck a deal with Google Cloud, which will see the technology giant host the provider’s policy management and billing platforms plus use generative artificial intelligence to produce new products and services.
Valentine’s Day and high-net-worth insurance
Post Podcast: As luxury goods prices are up 32% since 2019, the greatest Valentine’s gift brokers could give high-net-worth clients this year is to review their insurance needs.
Ombudsman tells pet insurers to be more ‘interrogative’
The Financial Ombudsman Service has confirmed that it has communicated with pet insurers over a string of exclusions-related complaints.
Big Interview: Chubb’s Mark Roberts
Mark Roberts, division president for UK, Ireland and South Africa at Chubb, tells Jonathan Swift he is looking to create wider and deeper relationships with UK brokers plus what factors will help differentiate his insurer from the congested run-of-the…
Impact of hidden plastic pipework on claims costs laid bare
Analysis of more than 3000 escape of water claims by McLarens found that “trace and access” cover was required in more than half of all claims (51%).
Deadline to enter British Insurance Technology Awards fast approaching
The countdown has started for you to get entries in for the inaugural 2024 British Insurance Technology Awards (BITAs).
Amazon, Google, Tesla … is there a tech giant insurance cannot repel?
Content Director’s View: Following the quick and relatively painless death of the Amazon Insurance Store, Jonathan Swift reflects on why UK policyholders are often resistant to the charms of brands they would otherwise trust when it comes to buying…
Insurance premiums for older pets surge by over a quarter
Owners of older pets saw their premiums increase by more than a quarter last year, according to Pearson Ham’s latest quarterly price index.