Articles by Chris Wheal
Axa Assistance wins Hastings deal
Axa Assistance has signed a five-year deal to provide motor assistance and specialist insurance covers to Hastings Insurance Services.
Cameron to ‘kill off’ health and safety culture
Prime Minister David Cameron’s New Year’s resolution is “to kill off the health and safety culture for good”.
Paul Napier hires Cross for world push
Lloyd’s Broker Paul Napier has taken on Edward Cross as divisional director responsible for the development, distribution and marketing of commercial, professional and financial lines worldwide.
Pipe and cable survey data to cut claims
Mitsui Sumitomo at Lloyd’s has partnered with LTU to help its UK construction and utility clients avoid claims from damaging underground cables and pipes when digging.
Dolmans takes on four in Wales
Dolmans law firm has made four new appointments to strengthen its Welsh practice.
AA and Co-op report storm claims spike
AA Insurance has reported 200% more calls than would normally be expected at this time of year and the Co-operative Insurance received more claims yesterday than it would usually get in the whole of January.
Marsh eyes further African expansion
Marsh has completed its acquisition of the South African brokerage business of Alexander Forbes and plans to buy other Alexander Forbes operations in Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Uganda and Zambia.
Munich Re: 2011 was worst year ever
Munich Re has said the sequence of earthquakes and large number of weather-related catastrophes made 2011 the costliest year ever in terms of natural catastrophe losses racking up $380bn of global economic losses.
ASA bans 'misleading' Direct Line ad
The Advertising Standards Authority has castigated Direct Line over a landlords’ insurance ad, featuring TV presenter Sarah Beeny, that claimed the insurer would beat any quote when it actually had a minimum price.
Catlin works on maritime risk reduction
Insurer Catlin has linked up with risk management firms Drum Cussac and Compass Risk Management to boost the services it offers to shipping clients with hijack, kidnap, extortion and wrongful detention exposures.
Lloyd’s censures Equity over reserves
The Enforcement Board of Lloyd’s has censured motor insurer Equity and demanded it pay £95 000 costs over its under-reserving of claims, but has spared the syndicate an expected £1m fine.
Liberty appoints Dubois from Flagstone
Liberty Syndicate Management has appointed Rene Dubois from Flagstone Re to lead its business advisory team.
JLT confirms completion of Italian deal
JLT has combined its existing Italian broking business with the business of Marine & Aviation.
Auto Restore to expand in 2012
Auto Restore is predicting further growth in the motor repair sector for 2012 following what it claims was a record year in 2011 which saw growth up 12% on 2010.
Ecclesiastical wants church roof alarms
Church insurer Ecclesiastical is launching an anti-metal theft campaign to promote roof alarms after naming Chelmsford, Essex, as the worst place in the UK for metal thefts from churches.
Aggregators get New Year honours
Peter Winslow, boss of Compare the Market owner BGL Group, and Go Compare boss Haley Parsons have been recognised in the Queen’s New Year Honours List.
Reinsurers try to limit nat cat exposure
Willis Re says reinsurers are trying to limit their exposure to natural perils after the second worst catastrophe year on record.
JLT buys Irish broker FBD
Jardine Lloyd Thompson’s Irish subsidiary JLT Insurance Brokers (Ireland) has acquired FBD Insurance Brokers from FBD Holdings for €6.75m up front and a further €1.75m later.
FSA approval time lengthens again
The average length of time it takes the Financial Services Authority to authorise financial services businesses has started rising again, according to data seen by City law firm Reynolds Porter Chamberlain.
Hastings Direct to take on 200 in 2012
Hastings Direct has announced 200 new jobs from entry level to senior management, driven by growth from its car, home, van and bike insurance products.
Millwater leaves Willis group board
Willis has announced that Grahame Millwater, president of Willis Group Holdings and chairman & CEO of Willis Global, is to retire to pursue other interests.
Europe non-life growth beats life at 2.7%
European insurers saw a rise in total gross written premiums in both the life and non-life sectors in 2010, according to figures released today by the European insurance and reinsurance federation, CEA.
Treasury investigates rating agencies
The Treasury Committee is investigating whether the methodology used by ratings agencies sound and transparent.
Total UK GI premiums rose 5% in 2010
UK general insurance premiums increased by 5% in 2010 to £46.4bn, according to the Insurance 2011 report by TheCityUK.