Articles by Harry Curtis
Chicken shop owner has wings clipped for fowl play in fraudulent fire claim
A chicken shop owner and his brother have been handed prison sentences following investigations by Allianz and Sedgwick into a fire in 2018.
Cover for damage caused by social unrest faces uncertain future
Cover that UK businesses currently take for granted is increasingly being hived off into the political violence insurance market, a report published by Airmic has highlighted.
Contractual requirements boost cyber insurance adoption
A cyber expert at Marsh has warned contractual obligations driving businesses to purchase cyber insurance could be a double-edged sword.
LMG hopes to ‘reenergise’ captives appetite after election hold-up
The London Market Group wants to prevail on the next government to advance work on the creation of a UK captives regime as soon as possible, CEO Caroline Wagstaff has said.
Marsh CEO scores insurers ‘C+’ for innovation
Marsh president and CEO Martin South has said that he would score the insurance industry at best ‘a C+’ for innovation and that market structures are preventing the sector putting client needs first.
Buyers demand greater stability and more forward thinking from insurers
While a softening commercial insurance market may be welcome news to corporate insurance buyers, rate instability leaves insurers’ credibility at risk, Marsh head of risk management placement Cat French has told Post.
WTW spies SME affinity opportunity following investment ‘gear change’
WTW has invested in its affinity insurance capabilities, with the aim of establishing programmes targeted at SMEs as well as consumers.
Insuring property damage caused by cyber attacks
Analysis: As clients in heavy industry and manufacturing look to insurance to cover property damage that occurs due to cyber attacks, Harry Curtis explores the risks that arise at the intersection of cyberspace and the physical world plus what options…
Industry watches as election puts Martyn’s Law passage in doubt
Anticipated legislation targeted at boosting public premises’ resilience to terrorist attacks could now be delayed by the dissolution of parliament ahead of July’s general election.
Andy Haste appointed Canopius group chairman
Canopius has appointed former RSA boss and current Esure chairman Andy Haste as its group chairman, succeeding Michael Watson on 1 July.
Smaller businesses increasingly drawn to growing recall insurance market
Smaller businesses are increasingly buying product recall insurance in order to meet their contractual obligations, spurring growth in what has long been a niche corner of the industry.
Winslow continues Direct Line management overhaul
Direct Line Group CEO Adam Winslow has continued his makeover of the insurer’s management team, appointing a new managing director of motor and chief strategy and investor relations officer.
Allianz research does little to assuage underinsurance fears
Fewer than one in five small business owners have increased their sums insureds despite widespread concern over inflation, research by Allianz Commercial has found.
Ransomware victims urged to consider alternatives to paying hackers
Insurance sector trade associations have collaborated with the National Cyber Security Centre on guidance that they hope will reduce ransom payments made by companies that fall prey to cyber attacks.
Pret parent company to ramp up insurance investment
JAB, the investment firm that owns Pret a Manger, has announced plans to build a global insurance platform.
Aviva and Butlin's clash over definition of storm in lawsuit
Holiday resort operator Butlin’s is suing a group of insurers led by Aviva after it was told that it would be indemnified for less than half of the sum it claimed following damage at one of its resorts last year.
RSA ‘pragmatic’ on product review as NIG acquisition completes
RSA intends to “move at pace” and make strides towards going to market with a single set of products by the end of this year following its acquisition with NIG and FarmWeb, Sonya Bryson has told Insurance Post.
Allianz’s lawsuit against Revolut ends in settlement
Allianz Partners and Revolut have settled a lawsuit over an abandoned travel insurance deal that saw the companies trade blows in recent months, Insurance Post can reveal.
Former GCHQ director joins Cyber Monitoring Centre
The Cyber Monitoring Centre has appointed former GCHQ director general for technology, Gaven Smith, to its technical committee.
Zurich and Freedom Services partnership targeting £50m GWP in year one
Zurich UK has penned a five-year deal with managing general agent Freedom Services under which the insurer will provide capacity for an existing commercial vehicle book as well as a fresh telematics play.
Three takeaways from Zywave’s Cyber Risk conference
Price adequacy may be under pressure in the cyber insurance market and there are “seismic shifts in buying behaviour” in the reinsurance market, according to experts gathered at Zywave’s Cyber Risk conference.
Cyber insurance procurement process labelled ‘a disaster’
Onda chief underwriting officer Alex Jomaa has dubbed the procurement process for cyber insurance “a disaster”, and said that both brokers and underwriters need to change their ways to boost the number of businesses that buy the product.
RSA still unsure on combined NIG business brand
RSA CEO Ken Norgrove has said the future brand of the combined RSA and NIG business is an open question, in an update to brokers.
Integration and restructuring costs push RSA to 2023 loss
RSA has reported a £19m pre-tax loss for 2023, despite improving on both its 2022 underwriting and investment performance.