Articles by Chris Wheal
Canopius recruits Bevan to boost health
Lloyd's insurer Canopius has expanded its UK accident and health underwriting team with the appointment of Matt Bevan from Aon.
Cooper Gay Swett & Crawford promotes Hooper to group commercial role
Wholesale and reinsurance broking group Cooper Gay Swett & Crawford has promoted Shaun Hooper, pictured, to the new role of chief commercial officer.
Weightmans hires ex-copper as fraud lead
National law firm Weightmans has named former policeman and soldier Scott Bowers from law firm Browne Jacobson as head of fraud business development.
Bupa recruits medical director from NHS
Bupa has recruited a new group medical director, Dr Paul Zollinger-Read, from the NHS.
Project Noah promises flood reinsurance
Marsh and Guy Carpenter have published provisional details of their flood reinsurance plan known as Project Noah after testing it with insurers.
Aon’s McKenna steps down
Aon’s lead director Andrew McKenna has resigned.
Canopius makes cash offer for Omega
Lloyd’s insurer Canopius has made a 65p a share cash offer to buy troubled insurer Omega.
Markel launches into marine in Canada
Markel International’s Canadian firm Elliott Special Risks has hired a team of four marine professionals from what used to be Axa for its Montreal office.
Hastings says motor premium rises ending
Hastings boss Edward Fitzmaurice has claimed the massive price hikes in motor insurance premiums are tailing off.
Equity starts performance-related pay
Equity Insurance's head of compensation and benefits, Ricky D'Ash, has revealed plans to introduce a grading system and performance-related pay for all 1,200 staff.
Baltic Exchange injured commemorated
The 20th anniversary of the IRA bombing of the Baltic Exchange is being commemorated with a charity dinner next week on the site of the tragedy – the Gherkin.
Axa warns of Easter accidents claims peak
Axa Personal Lines has warned of costly DIY accidents over the double Bank Holiday weekend, warning that claims peak on Easter Monday.
IUA attacks late claims payment penalties
Proposed legal reforms that allow unlimited damages to compensate for delayed claims payments will drive up legal costs and raise insurance premiums, the International Underwriting Association has warned.
Hastings reports profit up 63%
Hastings Insurance Group has announced its first calendar year consolidated results, showing pre-tax profit up 63% to £31m (2010: £19m).
Quindell ups stake in Ai Claims in takeover
Quindell Portfolio has bought a further 47.7% of Ai Claims Solutions for £3.1m, taking its holding above 77%, and has made a cash offer with share alternative for the rest of the business.
Perils updates database and adds floods
Zurich-based European catastrophe insurance data firm Perils has updated its Europe Industry Exposure Database of market-wide property sums insured for European windstorm.
A&A adopts Claim Witness telematics system
Non-standard motor broker A&A Group is to adopt a new telematics system launched by Claim Witness Systems, which is backed by experienced insurance industry figures, such as Mark Boleat.
Insurers better than most at tackling fraud
The insurance industry's £2.1bn of fraud is the biggest slice of the financial services sector's £3.5bn total and more than twice the size of its nearest rival mortgage fraud (£1bn), according to the government's National Fraud Authority.
MIB: uninsured young drivers down 50%
The Motor Insurers' Bureau has claimed that the number of 17–20 year-olds estimated to be driving without insurance has decreased by half over the past three years.
Quindell buys in Enzyme with Thomson to become group chief revenue officer
Rapidly expanding insurance technology and claims outsourcing firm Quindell Portfolio has named Robert Thomson as group chief revenue officer and announced the acquisition of personal injury claims firm Enzyme International.
Aon says low airline claims won't cut rates
Aon Risk Solutions has said airline claims were historically low last year but warned that the risk that the aviation industry represents remains high and insurance prices are likely to remain stable.
XL Bermuda boosts D&O risks covered
XL Insurance (Bermuda) has boosted it D&O cover to pay for independent directors’ defence costs in the US under Sarbanes-Oxley and Dodd-Frank and the UK Bribery Act.
Insurers face 20% VAT hike in police fees
Insurers can expect to see a 20% increase in the cost of police theft and accident reports after the tax man demanded they charge VAT that insurers cannot reclaim.
Abbey to buy law firm on ABS go-ahead
Abbey Legal managing director Chris Ward, pictured, has said the insurer will buy a stake in a law firm as soon as the Solicitors Regulation Authority gives the green light to its Alternative Business Structure application.