Articles by Mairi MacDonald
Williams leaves claims under Blanc's new structure
One point of contact for brokers is the main selling point for Axa's decision to merge its commercial and personal intermediary operations, according to Amanda Blanc.
Low cat activity aids Munich Re recovery
Munich Re reported a group operating result of €2.3bn in the first half of the year, compared with a loss of €437m in the same period in 2011.
L&G premium growth offset by weather losses
Legal & General's general insurance business has been hit hard by summer flooding and the freezing weather last winter, as profit in the first half of the year more than halved to £8m compared with the same period in 2011 (H1 2011: £17m).
Lark completes MBO from Groupama
Lark is once again an independent broker after its management successfully completed the acquisition of Groupama's majority shareholding in the business for an undisclosed sum today.
Ex-Heath director joins HCB
Risk management specialist Health Claims Bureau is expanding its corporate risk solutions team with the appointment of Karen Gamble as head of client relations.
Lloyd's launches underwriting review
The Lloyd's Market Association is reviewing the way contingent business interruption cover is written in the Lloyd's market following a string of major catastrophes last year.
Cyber crime risks on the rise
Willis has warned that "ignorance is no defence" when it comes to ensuring that companies are protected against data breaches as the risk of cyber incidents increases.
Tesco helps Ageas profit grow 81%
Ageas UK has increased profit and income in the first half of the year in the face of tough market conditions and severe weather events.
Brown: flood risk solution needed to end market inequality
RSA's chief executive for UK & Western Europe has called on the government to act quickly in announcing a replacement for the Statement of Principles to avoid further uncertainty for householders in flood risk areas.
UK flood loss offsets growth for RSA
RSA has reported a 4% rise in net written premium to £4.3bn, at constant exchange (2% as reported), and a combined operating ratio of 95.2% (H1 2011: 93.2%).
US P&C book supports HCC growth
HCC's gross written premium increased 7% to $1.5bn in the first six months of the year compared with $1.4bn in the first half of 2011.
Aon extends Manchester United sponsor deal
Aon is to maintain its relationship with Manchester United by becoming title sponsor of the club's business-to-business network and community engagement programmes from 2014.
Industry role for Canopius claims boss
Mike East, head of operations and claims at Canopius Managing Agents, has been named as the new chairman of the Lloyd's Market Association's claims committee.
Willis opens Spanish super-yacht broker
Willis Group Holdings has outlined plans to open a super-yacht insurance broking office in Barcelona.
LV profit stable while GWP rises 6%
LV's general insurance business has reported 6% growth in gross written premium income to £747m (H1 2011: £704m) in the first half of the year.
Hiscox UK falters while group profit soars
Hiscox returned an interim pre-tax profit of £125.8m (H1 2011: loss £85.6m), following a more benign catastrophe season compared with the previous 12 months.
Childs to succeed Hiscox as chairman
Hiscox chief underwriting officer Robert Childs is to succeed Robert Hiscox as chairman of the Bermuda-headquartered insurer.
JLT profit grows 11% as UK economy woes stall Thistle growth
Revenue at Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group grew 7% in the first six months of 2012 to £441.7m, including a 6.3% increase in revenue generated from organic growth, compared with the same period in 2011.
Council claims insurance fraud victory
Havering Council has avoided a fraudulent insurance claim that could have cost it £100 000 after the claimant pleaded guilty to contempt of court.
One Group confirms job losses
Travel claims and assistance specialist The One Group has confirmed redundancies following the loss of a contract with a key client.
£300m broker levy "affordable", says FSA
The proposal to double the threshold for claims within the Financial Services Compensation Scheme to £300m for the general insurance broking sub-class was based on the "affordability" of the figure rather than on the likelihood of high-value claims.
Lancashire reports hike in profit to $102.6m
Lancashire has reported a 35.5% increase in gross written premium to $514.8m in the first half of the year, compared with $379.8m in the same period in 2011, reporting growth across three of its four main classes of business.
Home insurance premiums set to rise
Property insurers must ensure they have adequate reserves to cover future claims arising from volatile weather patterns, AA Insurance has warned.
Motor premiums rise and fall as competition hots up
Average car insurance premiums for directly sold policies have risen by 8.5% over the past 12 months, while the average premium on policies sold on aggregators has fallen by 3.3% in the same period.