Articles by Chris Wheal
MMA launches motor trade combined cover
MMA Insurance is bucking the trend of insurer cutting capacity and shrinking their motor trade books by expanding its range with the introduction of a motor trade combined product.
Irish Wrightway puts renewals on EDI
Irish underwriting agency Wrightway is converting all of its manual motor policies to full cycle EDI on Open GI removing the need for paper transactions on renewals.
Giggins to spearhead Miller's Asian plans
Martin Giggins has joined Miller’s Hong Kong office to spearhead the development of its financial services business in the Asia region.
Confidence hit by claims and uncertainties
The latest ICAEW/Grant Thornton UK Business Confidence Monitor shows that a year of catastrophic losses, on-going soft pricing and regulatory uncertainty has hit insurance industry confidence hard.
Bournemouth's streets cracked by floods
More than 60mm of rain fell in Bournemouth between 6am and midday on Thursday last week, and the average rainfall for the whole of August is less than 54mm, according to GAB Robins.
Giggins to spearhead Miller's Asian plans
Martin Giggins has joined Miller’s Hong Kong office to spearhead the development of its financial services business in the Asia region.
Ireland's Wrightway puts renewals on EDI
Ireland’s largest underwriting agency Wrightway is converting all of its manual motor policies to full cycle EDI on Open GI, removing the need for paper transactions on renewals.
Amlin posts £192.3m loss
Lloyd’s insurer Amlin blamed catastrophe claims of £314.3m (H1 20010 £127.1m) that added 34 percentage points to its combined ratio for a pre-tax loss of £192.3m (H1 2010: profit of £107.6m).
Weston broker Marsh & Company to go wholesale
Weston-super-Mare broker Marsh & Company is to recruit two extra staff a year after taking over the commercial insurance operation of Regency Insurance Brokers. It is to develop a wholesale broking division.
Financial services firms expect to grow
Financial services companies with annual revenues of up to £20m expect to increase their turnover by an average of 108% in the next five years, according to Santander Corporate Banking.
Chubb poaches from Hiscox for HNW
Chubb Insurance has poached Kate Gower as senior underwriter from Hiscox’s art and private clients division where she was senior development underwriter.
Congregational & General sells majority stake in Integra to Hannover Re
Church insurer Congregational & General Insurance has sold a majority share of its subsidiary Integra Insurance Solutions to Hannover Re. FSA approval has been granted.
Endsleigh warns V Festival goers to safeguard valuables
Student insurer Endsleigh has warned that students going to V Festival this weekend will take at least £800 worth of valuables with them each.
Charles Taylor wins company market static claims role
Charles Taylor Insurance Services has won its first static claims remit from the company market, following the roll-out of its service for the Lloyd's market in April this year.
Hastings Direct to recruit 200 staff
Hastings Direct is going on a recruitment spree, taking on 200 staff – 100 of them to completely new jobs.
Marsh offers small solicitor firms 'exclusive' PI deals
Marsh claims to have two exclusive insurer deals for small and mid-sized firms of solicitors to help tackle what it describes as a “challenging renewal season for solicitors’ professional indemnity (PI) insurance”.
Auction insurance offered as hammer comes down
Commercial property insurance broker Cadogan Keelan Westall is to attend Network Auctions’ National Auction Room in Hatfield so it can put items bought under the hammer on cover as soon as they have been purchased.
Airmic launches riots claims resource
Commercial insurance buyers group Airmic has compiled a list of expert resources for firms making riot-damage claims and says it will update with new advice as it arrives.
Bond Pearce hires catastrophic injury expert David Brown
Catastrophic injury claims defender David Brown has joined corporate law firm Bond Pearce as a senior associate specialising in casualty risks.
Solicitor insurers exploited ARP loophole
Insurers have used a loophole to under report premiums from solicitors’ professional indemnity insurance to cut payments to the Assigned Risk Pool, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has said.
Gallagher names Des O'Connor affinity boss
The UK arm of broker Arthur J Gallagher has promoted Des O'Connor to director of strategic development for affinity business.
Half of insurers have no complaints chief
Almost half of large UK insurers have failed to name a head of complaints – just two weeks before the Financial Services Authority deadline comes into effect.
Aviva Direct's caravan partner Victor Millwell to expand
Caravan specialist Victor Millwell expects to rapidly expand following Aviva Direct’s decision to use it as preferred provider of its motorhome insurance for customers seeking new or renewal quotes.
Allianz picks Fix Auto for repairs
Allianz has signed a three-year deal with Fix Auto UK to run its national accident repair services.