Articles by Chris Wheal
CII and AMII develop health and protection insurance broker designation
The Association of Medical Insurance Intermediaries and the Chartered Insurance Institute have agreed specific membership designation for health insurance and protection intermediaries - Cert CII (Health and Protection).
Talbot Syndicate 1183 makes reduced profit
Validus Holdings-owned Lloyd's insurer Talbot Underwriting has said its Syndicate 1183 made a profit 70% down at £19.5m (2010: £64.7m) on a combined ratio of 99% (2010: 90.1%).
Allanfield expands real estate team
Property insurance broker Allanfield has named Paul Leader, left in phot, and Paul Williams, right, as managing directors of companies in the Allanfield group.
Insurer IT spend to hit $158bn by 2014
Global information technology spending by insurance companies is expected to reach $140.6bn (£88.7bn) in 2012, an increase of 6.3% over 2011, according to research firm Celent.
Oval shake up sees Blanc take CEO role from Hodson while Herdman leaves
Broker consolidator Oval has confirmed that Peter Blanc will take over from Phillip Hodson as group chief executive.
Beazley takes 25% stake in Equinox Global
Lloyd's insurer Beazley has taken a 25% stake in Lloyd's cover holder and trade credit insurance specialist Equinox Global.
Jelf Clarke Roxburgh promotes Sherwood
Broker Jelf Clarke Roxburgh has promoted Peter Sherwood to regional sales director for the Midlands.
Barbican buys PI Protect MGA
Guernsey-headquartered Lloyd's insurer Barbican has bought Manchester managing general agency Professional Indemnity Protect.
Sciemus adds renewables expert Kinsella
Analytics and modelling firm Sciemus has appointed Tim Kinsella as director of renewable energy to head up work on wind models and provide consultancy in renewable energy and insurance markets.
Besso aims for wider share ownership as it buys 15% for key managers
Besso Insurance Group has exercised a share buy-back right giving the management team 70% of the Lloyd's broker.
Quindell to announce 'game-changing' outsourcing contracts with major insurers
Quindell Portfolio boss Rob Terry says the firm will announce "game-changing multi-disciplinary motor claims outsourcing contracts" with major insurers this year as well as three more company buys in claims services including rehab and legal.
VRS Vericlaim shuffles directors
Loss adjuster VRS Vericlaim has appointed two new regional directors to free up Peter Chart, pictured, and Damian Glynn to focus on claims and service to clients.
Hong Kong GI business grows 10%
Hong Kong's Office of the Commissioner of Insurance has revealed that total gross premiums of the Hong Kong general insurance industry in 2011 grew 10.7% to $34.7bn with net premiums up 8.5% to $23.8bn compared with 2010.
Allianz names Mallaby for special claims
Allianz has appointed Sarah Mallaby, pictured, to its Claims division as casualty and motor manager.
QBE finds firms expect two-year recovery
A pre-budget survey by commercial lines insurer QBE has found that 77% of UK businesses expect it to be two years or more before the UK sees a full economic recovery – with half (49%) not expecting a turnaround for three years or more.
Quindell's 2011 £4.1m profit beats market
Quindell Portfolio has announced results for the 15 months ended 31 December 2011 that it claims are "significantly ahead of market expectations".
Cat price rises inadequate, says Canopius
Canopius executive chairman Michael Watson has said that tenfold increases in premiums in Thailand have been exceptions, and complained that insurers have not done enough to raise rates across the board.
Canopius tumbles to first ever loss
Lloyd's insurer Canopius has announced its first ever loss – of £64m before tax (2010: profit of £40m) with catastrophes adding 24 points to its combined ratio bringing it to 111%.
Car insurance tops web search queries
Quarterly research by Greenlight found insurance-related searches in January totalled 1.9 million, down from more than 2.3 million in October 2011, but car insurance searches leapt.
National Windscreens bullish on growth
National Windscreens commercial director Peter Marsden has claimed rivals are suffering not from the market decline but from National's growth.
RIMS welcomes broker transparency win
US insurance buyers group the Risk and Insurance Management Society has welcomed a court of appeal ruling confirming brokers must declare their earnings from insurers.
FSA retail risk report slates insurers' sales
The Financial Services Authority has published its Retail Conduct Risk Outlook looking at the main risks consumers face in the next 12 to 18 months.
Towergate boosts merger management with Saulter appointment
Towergate Insurance has upped the ante on takeovers by bringing in Towergate Financial chief executive Dan Saulter, pictured, as group mergers and acquisitions director.
Olympic power fears prompt IT exodus
Companies in the capital are moving their data storage and other IT services out of London ahead of the Olympics as concerns rise that power demand could cause disruption to electricity supplies.