Post - 2010-09-30
Articles in this issue
AM Best commentary: Keeping the balls in the air
While hardly a vintage year for the general insurance sector, 2009 did see an overall improvement due to investment earnings - but, says Catherine Thomas this year is unlikely to match up.
Brand analysis: A robust year for insurance brands
Despite the ongoing disruption in the financial services sector, the brand value of insurers has seen a healthy increase. James Park reports on the results and looks at the opportunities for the coming year.
Interview - James Shea: Going back to basics
Two years on from 'AIG day' Mairi MacDonald met the newly appointed managing director of Chartis UK James Shea to discover his plans for the company.
Top 100 UK insurers - Top 20 spotlight
Sponsored by KPMG
Top 100 Insurers 2010: Navigating choppy waters
This year's top 100 rankings show the major players dropping anchor in stormy seas, while smaller groups make waves of their own with significant jumps in GWP. Jonathan Swift examines the statistics.
Future market challenges: After the storm
Amid the unprecedented economic pressures and turbulence of recent years, the insurance industry has performed admirably. Now Mark Winlow urges companies to concentrate on the key catalysts for change and understand the consequences their responses will…
Post Magazine – 30 September 2010
The latest issue of Post magazine is now available to subscribers as a digital and interactive e-book.
B2B aims to be top choice for independents
Broker 2 Broker's new managing director Denis Morgan has unveiled a new strategy aimed at turning the business into the "preferred online underwriting facility for independent brokers".
BIS 2010 - News: Grads "don't understand" insurance industry
The insurance industry must overcome perceptions of being "boring, difficult to deal with and overly complex" to attract a new generation of talent, according to Chartered Insurance Institute president Chris Hanks.
Household - pricing pressures: Put your house in order
Household insurance is entering a make or break phase and brokers and insurers need to be disciplined, yet flexible, to remain competitive, says Craig Allen.
News analysis - Fraud: Some distance to go
While fraud detection has increased over time, there is still much more the industry could be doing in its approach. Lorraine Carolan and Craig Dickson report on what is holding it back.
BIS 2010 - News: Jury out on e-commerce potential of social network sites
The jury is out as to whether social networking sites will lead to e-commerce opportunities, according to Vivek Banga, UK distribution leader, small business and personal lines at Brit Insurance.
BIS 2010 - News: SME sector set to be next big thing for aggregator sites
Price comparison site Beat That Quote has hinted it could move into SME insurance after earmarking the sector as the next stage of aggregator growth.
Less Oxygen for Manchester as public sector team relocates
Oxygen Insurance Brokers is to close its public sector offering in Manchester after a strategic review of client facing operations, Post has learnt.
Arista and NIG boost teams in Leeds pushes
Arista has signalled its intent to broaden its UK footprint after appointing a senior underwriter to focus on the Leeds insurance market.
BIS 2010 - News: CEOs say industry must do more on innovation
The insurance industry needs to sell itself better and attract quality individuals in order to be more innovative, according to Stephen Lewis, UK chief executive, general insurance at Zurich.
Aviva hires ex-Capita man Briggs
Former Capita Insurance Services chief executive Matthew Briggs has returned to the market to take up a role in Aviva's claims division.
Zurich moves to keep pace with mid-market
Zurich has embarked on a "defensive strategy" to become the most visible insurer in the mid-market space with the launch of a revamped product suite.
Brightside broking chairman outlines acquisition strategy
Brightside has confirmed it is considering going on the acquisition trail as the group recorded a pre-tax profit of £4m for H1 2010.
BIS 2010 - News: UK industry 'too fragmented' to have international impact
The UK insurance industry may fail to get its voice heard at home and on an international stage because it is too "fractured".
BIS 2010 - News: Demand for actuaries on the increase
The actuarial profession is undergoing a 'Y2K moment', as the demand for skills increases under looming regulatory proposals, according to WNS Global.
Donaldson completes top team with commercial hires
The chief executive of RSA's Latvian business Tara Kneafsey is to move to the UK to drive forward the insurer's SME offering.
Postscript - 20 years ago: Job loss threat for aviation staff
Looking through Post's back catalogue paints a unique picture of more than 150 years of insurance news, as this highlight from 20 years ago reveals.
Case managers: Servants of too many masters?
Andrew Underwood looks at the role played by clinical case managers in the claims process for seriously injured patients and suggests how the system could be improved to benefit claimants.
Half-year underwriting loss a first for Lloyd's
Lloyd's has recorded its first ever interim underwriting loss since it started publishing half-year results in 2005.
Canopius appoints Rolfe
Privately owned Lloyd's operation Canopius Group has confirmed the appointment of former UK General chief executive Tim Rolfe.
Editor's comment: Breaking up: hard to do?
Last week's British Insurance Summit certainly stirred up some lively debate within the walls of the conference facility, as well as in the blogosphere and on social networking sites.
Report reveals European insurance buyers fear price hikes
Almost half of all European insurance buyers are concerned current economic conditions could lead to an increase in the cost of cover, research by the Federation of European Risk Management Associations has revealed.
Postscript - 10 years ago: QBE to establish largest MA
Looking through Post's back catalogue paints a unique picture of more than 150 years of insurance news, as this highlight from 20 years ago reveals.
Pair of insurers join anti-Jackson alliance amid ATE fears
Concerns over the future of the after-the-event insurance market have driven two insurance companies to become founder members of the Consumer Justice Alliance.
BIS 2010 - News: LV boss rules out move into direct SME marketplace
The LV brand will not cross over into the fledgling direct insurance SME space, according to LV Broker managing director Phil Bunker.
BIS 2010 - News: Company culture is the key to success
The culture of a company is the single most important ingredient to success, according to Jeneen Minter, director of finance at Zappos.
Top 100 UK insurers - 2009
AM Best's top 100 insurer rankings in full, according to Financial Services Authority returns for 2009.
Post powerlist 2010: The influential crowd
Over the past 12 months the UK insurance industry has faced the global recession head on, taken the change of government in its stride and has shown that it is ready to face oncoming regulation in the form of Solvency II. Below we name the major players…
BIS 2010 - News: ERM reduces volatility
In highlighting the need for clients to understand an insurer's risk, Nigel Bamber, XL Insurance head of client relationship management UK, asked: "Is the insurer like a doctor who smokes?"
Postscript - five years ago: Fraud database set to launch
Looking through Post's back catalogue paints a unique picture of more than 150 years of insurance news as this highlight from five years ago reveals
ABI rebuffs Hiscox supremo's calls for trade body break-up
The Association of British Insurers has hit back at claims the general insurance industry would be better served by a separate trade body.
IFB readies household, EL and PL fraud models
The Insurance Fraud Bureau has admitted it is involved in discussions with home, employers' liability and public liability insurers to strengthen fraud detection rates beyond the motor insurance sector.
Penny Black's insurance week
Last week's British Insurance Summit certainly saw a considerable amount of debate as the great and good of the insurance market got together.
BIS 2010 - News: Solvency II should lead to hard market return
The implementation of Solvency II could lead to the return of a hard market, according to John Neal, chief underwriting officer, QBE Europe.
BIS 2010 - News: Towergate's Blanc underlines issues still facing IPO market
Towergate deputy group chief executive Amanda Blanc has highlighted the difficulties companies are facing launching initial public offerings in the current financial climate.
Bahrain firms eye UK Takaful tie-up
A joint venture between UK-based distributors and Middle-Eastern insurers is the most successful formula for launching a Takaful operation in the UK, according to the chief executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board.
North of the Border: animals acts: don't give a dog a bad name
As readers will be aware, north of the border, unlike in England the pre-action protocol for personal injury claims is entirely voluntary and has no statutory basis. Many insurers and claimants firms are signatories to the protocol and have found it…
BIS 2010 - News: Public sector can help fight against fraudulent applications
The public and private sectors should be working together to tackle fraud at the point of application.
BIS 2010 - News: CEBR warns of "sluggish" insurance market
The economic landscape post-credit crunch is causing growth in the European insurance market to slow, the Centre for Economics and Business Research has claimed.
Central targets growth with new sector focus
Central Insurance Services, the Aberdeen-headquartered broker that opened up shop in Glasgow in March, has outlined the sectors it intends to target to generate growth.
Interview - Andrew Homewood: A developing role at the CILA
With 35 years in the industry, new CILA president Andrew Homewood is well placed to guide the institute through an important phase in its development. Leigh Jackson finds out his plans for the organisation.
BIS 2010 - News: Hiscox boss calls for break up of ABI
Bronek Masojada, chief executive of Hiscox, has called for a separate trade body to represent the interests of general insurance from those of the life and savings sector.
BIS 2010 - News: Solvency II will give competitive advantage to big players
Large diverse European insurers such as Generali, Axa, and Allianz may be the "big winners" under Solvency II, an ABI director has predicted.
Audatex system outage blasted by Axa
Axa Insurance has labelled a system outage at claims software firm audatex “unacceptable”, after a glitch left motor insurers with a four-day delay in processing repair assessments.
Household – aggregators: The next big thing?
After success in the motor market, the aggregators are turning their attention to household insurance. Will they manage a repeat performance? asks Jane Bernstein.
View from the top: After the calm may come the storm of inflation
What a quarter we’ve had — no crises, no Greek-style riots, no parliamentary armageddon and no bank failures. In fact, one could sometimes even be lulled into the sense that the past two years have been some awful nightmare from which we have just awoken…
BIS 2010 - Introduction: The view from the hill
Anthony Gould outlines the key debating points from two busy days in Tower Hill.
Record football fundraising day
This year’s Prince’s Trust Insurance Leadership Group Cup, sponsored by Groupama Insurances and supported by www.insurancejobs.co.uk, produced some scintillating football and a record-breaking fundraising total of £20 000 for the UK charity.
In series - Claims management: Making the most of technology
With the internet playing an increasing role in customer’s lives, Sam Barrett reports on the failure by the insurance industry to invest in claims technology systems to harness this.
In series - Claims management: Making a difference
Technology should be a major facilitator for insurers as they seek to control costs and improve customer satisfaction. But Russell Crewe asks if the balance is right yet.
Law report: Dual carriageway planting leaves council facing negligence charge
This law report has been contributed by national law firm Berrymans Lace Mawer.
Law report: Network rail test cases over infrastructure damage
This law report has been contributed by national law firm Berrymans Lace Mawer.
Career path & CSR news: Sterling recruitment scheme takes on four more graduates
Sterling has taken on four more graduate recruits for its 2011 training scheme.
Career path & CSR news: Lloyd’s to recruit and train 50 claims professionals
Lloyd’s is set to invest in the recruitment and training of 50 claims professionals over the next five years.
Career path & CSR news: Crawford & Co sees first set of MBA graduates
The first cohort of 15 of its emerging leaders have now successfully graduated from Crawford & Company’s bespoke MBA programme. This group comprises eight from the UK and seven from the loss adjuster’s continental europe, Middle east and Africa area.
Career path & CSR news: Cunningham Lindsey picks five from 500
Cunningham Lindsey has picked five new trainees out of more than 500 applicants for the second year of its graduate recruitment programme. One of the graduates will be based in its agricultural property team while the rest will join the specialist…
Career path & CSR news: CII to offer reduction in membership cost for students
The Chartered Insurance Institute is to target the student community through the launch of a reduced price membership scheme.