Analysis
Europe: Tapping new risk
Is there a potentially untapped market on the continent for non-standard customers? Katie Marriner investigates.
Redomiciling: Insurer’s paradise?
With continued uncertainty over Solvency II, could more firms be tempted to follow the lead of Randall & Quilter and split their tax and regulatory domiciles?
Household: On shaky ground
With cracks beginning to show in the profitability of the household insurance market, is the sector set to crumble or are its foundations solid enough to see it through?
In Series: Claims: Joining forces
Bilateral agreements and a better use of technology can help insurers operate more efficiently when it comes to subrogation.
In Series: Claims: A moral dilemma
The industry is split over the ethics of subrogation. Will Competition Commission intervention resolve the situation once and for all, or can insurers find their own solution through bilateral agreements?
Europe: Accordant accounting
The IASB has published its latest proposals for consistent accounting for insurance companies but the industry will have to act quickly to make its voice heard, David Foster says.
Vision 2020: Full steam ahead
Despite the report fading from memory, the insurance industry is still on track when it comes to achieving Vision 2020’s key aim to progress the industry
Independent Broking: Back to basics
With tough times facing the industry, insurers and brokers have to embrace their traditional roles to be successful
Telematics: Ask the experts
Insurers should be wary of rushing into the telematics market alone – pricing, legacy technology and cost mean collaborating may be a wiser strategy.
In Series: Claims: Don’t let go
Firms that go the extra mile to ensure customers feel valued at all points of interaction will reap the benefits when it comes to renewal.
In Series: Claims: Problems shared
In a price-sensitive environment, can claims service with an emphasis on communication play a role in retaining customers?
Employment: Port in a storm?
Does the insurance sector’s resilience in a difficult economic climate make it a safe haven for employees, or are industry staff in as much peril as the rest of the UK workforce?
In Series: Claims: A step ahead
The industry must work together in the fight against insurance fraud.
In Series: Claims: Investigating the investigators
What will the FCA’s examination of insurers’ use of private investigators uncover – and will it affect industry efforts to combat fraud?
Expertise in Action: Professionalism: Testing, testing
Testing, testing
Expertise in Action: Professionalism: Pros & Cons
Qualifications aren’t the be-all and end-all when it comes to professionalism – training, working together and sharing knowledge across the industry are equally important.
Takaful: The Islamic state
Despite centuries of tradition and an estimated worldwide value in the billions, Takaful insurance, grounded in sharia‑compliant practices, has struggled to find traction in the UK.
Add-ons: Into the mist
The Financial Conduct Authority’s investigation into add-ons threatens to create fault lines between the industry and the public. Is the sector’s house in order or is a clean up needed?
Relocation: The ex-pat factor
Following the news Allianz Insurance chief executive Andrew Torrance is moving to the US, Post quizzed senior British insurance professionals who have moved overseas on what he can expect.
Europe: Draining energy
Europe was fast out of the blocks with its carbon emissions schemes but the financial downturn and the emergence of Asia and Latin America is threatening its future, Steve Kingshott writes.
Construction: Unfinished business
While the construction sector is enduring a difficult period due to the economic downturn, insurers are optimistic that, with several major projects underway and in the pipeline, there are still opportunities in the market
Motor Insurance: The road to profit
Could recent legislation provide the turning point motor insurers need to drive them into long-awaited profitability, or are tough times set to continue?
Payment Protection Insurance: Paying the price
With payment protection insurance complaints putting a seemingly never-ending financial strain on the industry, can the product ever bounce back?
International: Lost in the long grass
Will the final form of Solvency II – designed to harmonise capital adequacy across the continent – look anything like it was initially intended? And when, if ever, will it emerge?