Articles by Harry Curtis
Big Interview: Paul Greensmith and Jodie Kaufman Davis, HW Kaufman
After plenty of acquisitions over the years, HW Kaufman international CEO Paul Greensmith and group co-president Jodie Kaufman Davis sit down with Harry Curtis to discuss plans to turn the group’s international businesses into a broking and underwriting…
UK cyber insurance claims hit £197m in 2024
Insurers paid out £197m to the UK businesses hit by cyber incidents in 2024, according to data from the Association of British Insurers.
IUA elects chair amid ‘challenging market conditions’
The International Underwriting Association has elected Theo Butt, UK CEO of Convex Insurance, as its next chair.
Big Interview: Mike van der Straaten, Antares
Mike van der Straaten, CEO of Antares, sits down with Harry Curtis to discuss QIC Global’s rebirth as Antares, why it swapped its Maltese entity for a UK one, and its retail strategy.
Guidewire eyes retail broking and reinsurance for ‘next chapter’
Guidewire is experimenting with building solutions to connect its customer base of primary insurers with reinsurers and retail brokers, the company’s group vice president Charles Clarke has told Post.
Technology arms race to fuel London market M&A
Companies in the London market will increasingly pursue peer-to-peer technology integration driving greater facilitation and more mergers and acquisitions, Guidewire’s London market lead Jamie McDonnell has predicted.
HW Kaufman plans to establish Lloyd’s vehicle within two years
HW Kaufman plans to set up a Lloyd’s syndicate within the next two years as part of its international expansion efforts, executives have told Post.
Guidewire CEO maps insurance sector’s AI transformation
Guidewire CEO Mike Rosenbaum has outlined how he thinks generative artificial intelligence and large language models will change the insurance industry.
Space congestion pushes insurers towards a new frontier
With low-Earth orbit becoming more crowded, Harry Curtis examines how the rise of in-orbit servicing and tighter de-orbit rules could reshape the market for satellite cover.
Louvre robbery sends ripples through fine art insurance market
Last weekend’s Louvre robbery has sent ripples through the fine art insurance market, prompting a renewed focus on security from insurers of both institutional and private collections.
CyberCube expects AWS outage to have ‘moderate’ insurance impact
CyberCube has estimated this week’s Amazon Web Services outage will result in an insurance loss in the range of $38m (£28.5m) to $581m (£436.3m).
Talc lawsuit raises coverage questions for insurers
A major High Court lawsuit filed against the pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson alleging links between talcum powder and cancer has been described as a “significant development for the insurance market” by law firm HCR Law.
Clyde and Co sees rapid rise in work-related stress claims
Work-related stress claims, which are covered under employers’ liability policies, have risen sharply in recent years, Clyde and Co partner Barbara Goddard has told Post.
Aviva acts to close business interruption protection gap
Aviva is applying an automatic uplift to a 24-month business interruption indemnity period for policies issued through its Fast Trade platform in order to tackle underinsurance.
Ports and terminals face down ‘geopolitical storm’
Volatile geopolitics is keeping ports and their insurers busy as they work to keep increased risks adequately covered, Markel’s Dean Johnson has told Post.
Zurich looks to leverage capabilities of engineering arm
Zurich Engineering is increasingly working with the insurer’s other business units to cross-sell services, its head of inspection services Adrian Reeve has told Post.
Axa Commercial CUO David Ovenden to retire
Axa Commercial chief underwriting officer David Ovenden is set to retire and leave the insurer in the new year, Post can reveal.
Ferma appoints Nihoul as CEO
The Federation of European Risk Management Associations has appointed Laurent Nihoul as its next CEO, effective 1 December.
Commercial motor pricing stabilised but capacity constraints remain
Price increases in the UK commercial motor market have subsided over the course of 2025, but capacity constraints remain in pockets, according to several brokers and providers that spoke to Post.
Bspoke in ‘ongoing’ conversations over retail acquisitions
Bspoke deputy chair Tim Smyth has said the MGA is pursuing a number of acquisitions that would add businesses to its newly formed retail division.
Inside the shrinking market for HGV insurance
In the wake of exits from the market in recent years, Harry Curtis looks at why insurers are cautious about insuring heavy goods vehicles and how those that do manage it.
Airmic CEO Julia Graham to step down next year
Julia Graham is set to step down from her role as CEO of Airmic next year and will be succeeded by Diane Maxwell.
Long-term participants have an edge in ‘challenging’ PI market
Underwriting adaptability and prudence are all important in the face of a professional indemnity insurance market swimming in capacity and a turbulent geopolitical environment, Markel senior underwriter Joanne Healy has told Post.
WTW and Swiss Re launch cover for red weather warnings
WTW and Swiss Re Corporate Solutions have worked together to design a parametric insurance product that pays out automatically when either the UK Met Office or Irish Met Éireann issues a red weather warning.