Articles by Chris Wheal
Brit wants faster marine claims
London’s shipping insurance market needs to improve claims handling to mirror tighter corporate governance measures in the global container shipping industry, Brit has warned.
Arista expands Birmingham office
Commercial lines underwriting specialist Arista Insurance has appointed Gemma Bradshaw as an underwriter its Birmingham office to grow its Midlands operations.
MSL offers brokers valuation surveys
Legal expenses and broker services company MSL Group has launched a valuation service for brokers to offer their clients.
RSA adds Jos Streppel as non-exec
RSA has named former Aegon chief finance officer Jos Streppel as a non-executive director from 3 October, 2011.
Travelers promotes Coello
Travelers has promoted Richard Coello (pictured) to the role of assistant general manager responsible for professional risks.
Willis warns rates may not harden
Broker Willis has warned that the soft reinsurance market that has persisted since 2004 could become the norm without further catastrophes forcing rates to harden.
Aon Benfield says reinsurers are ready
Aon Benfield says modest additional insured catastrophe events in 2011 will leave reinsurers with sufficient capital to meet the demands of insurers.
Hannover Re: rates and demand to rise
Hannover Re said it expected heavy losses from natural catastrophes to mean the widely varying market hardening observed across the board in previous renewal phases to be sustained.
Swiss Re: low interest worse than cats
Three years of record low interest rates were a bigger shock for the reinsurance industry than recent natural catastrophes, Swiss Re has claimed.
MID names worst uninsured postcodes
Bordesley in Birmingham has the highest proportion of uninsured drivers in the UK according to figures from the Motor Insurance Bureau’s Motor Insurance Database.
Corclaim ULR signs Merrell to expand
Claimant motor specialist Mark Merrell has joined Midlands law firm Harvey Ingram’s uninsured loss recovery Corclaim brand as a director.
Coface sees post-recession rise
Recession-hit credit insurer Coface has said half year turnover rose 8% to €764m, compared to the 1st half of 2010 and its combined ratio improved by 12.5 points to 78.3.
Argo names Matson for underwriting
Speciality insurer Argo has said Novae’s former director of underwriting Peter Matson (pictured) will become director of underwriting for Argo International in London.
Marsh raises cash for Help for Heroes
Broker Marsh has said it staff chose to support Help for Heroes as its UK Charity of the Year for 2011-2012 and will raise £150,000 in the next 18 months.
AM Best A-rates Omega at Lloyd’s
AM Best has confirmed its A rating from Lloyd’s insurer Omega but warned the rating is under review with negative implications.
Axa and aggregators make online list
A list of influential online retailers, called 101 Directors Of .COM, has named half a dozen insurance site bosses among a list ranging from supermarkets to sex toy sellers.
Reinsurance market reassured by AM Best there is hope
AM Best said there are hopeful signs emerging for the global reinsurance industry after years of a soft market, weak investment returns, lukewarm investor interest and sluggish consolidation activity.
AM Best offers hope for reinsurance
AM Best says hopeful signs are emerging for the global reinsurance industry after years of a soft market, weak investment returns, lukewarm investor interest and sluggish consolidation activity.
RBSI to learn from FOS complaints
RBSI has played down figures from the Financial Services Ombudsman showing it is the most complained about general insurer in the country.
RBSI tops Ombudsman GI complaints
Royal Bank of Scotland Insurance is the most complained about general insurer in the UK according to figures from the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Insurance-linked securities to grow
Swiss Re claims that 15 years after its inception, the market for insurance-linked securities is poised to grow.
Marsh names shark saver as NED
Broker Marsh has appointed leading Manx businessman and wildlife expert Ken Watterson as a non-executive director on its Isle of Man board.
Bikers cancel insurance in cold weather
Groupama, owner of specialist biker broker Carole Nash, has warned that motorbike insurance cancellations typically rise by up to 60% in autumn and winter compared to the spring and summer.
Chaucer’s Ball to write property treaty
Specialist Lloyd’s insurance Chaucer has named Simon Ball as international property treaty Underwriter within Chaucer Syndicate 1084’s property division.