Articles by Mark Sands
Deloitte appoints agents for Gherkin sale
Deloitte has picked a pair of estate agents to oversee the sale of 30 St Mary Axe, better known as The Gherkin, after the building fell into receivership in April this year.
Former Bupa claims boss slapped with £5k compensation order
A Bupa claims manager who was convicted of stealing thousands from his employer has will pay £4800 in compensation.
Towergate acquires Lovat and Watt UK
Towergate has completed deals to acquire a pair of brokers based in Tunbridge Wells and Manchester.
Dutch insurers facing 20% bonus cap
The Dutch government is weighing measures on remuneration that could force insurers to limit bonuses to 20% of fixed salary for all employees.
58% of British drivers unsure of EEC coverage
Almost two-thirds of British drivers don’t know if they are covered to drive in the European Economic Community, or believe that they are not covered according to a survey by Be Wiser.
Zenith launches ‘world first’ motor sharing product
Zenith Insurance has teamed with Easy Car Club to launch what it claims is a world first cover for car and van owners looking to participate in the vehicle sharing schemes.
Markerstudy completes £20m Supercover buy
Markerstudy has confirmed an agreement to acquire gadget insurance broker and claims administrator Supercover in a deal worth £20m.
Aon Q2 broking operating income up 7%
Aon has reported a 7% increase in operating income for its broking business in Q2 of 2014, with internal savings driving the improvement.
Add ons review ‘gloomy reading’ for motor insurers
A regulatory review of the sale of general insurance add ons makes for “gloomy reading” for insurers including Direct Line, Esure and Admiral according to one analyst.
FCA holds to claims ratio publication plans
The Financial Conduct Authority has reiterated that the publication of claims ratios remains its “preferred measure” for assessing the efficacy of general insurance add on products.
Crawford unveils ‘transparent’ Contractor Connection brand
Crawford has unveiled a new, redesigned network model that will see insurers offered fixed network fees.
Axa fraud boss Gaywood heads for the exit
Axa head of counter fraud for direct and partnerships Steve Gaywood is to depart the business, Post has learned.
Hyperion recruits Berresford as non-exec
Hyperion has recruited Ann Berresford as a non-executive director with immediate effect.
Dual recruits from UK General for Cardiff-based development manager
Hyperion-owned managing general agent Dual has recruited a regional sales manager from UK General to manage business development in the Midlands and the South West.
QBE hands GAB Robins TPA deal
QBE has agreed a deal to hand GAB Robins sole control of third party administration services commercial property business acquired from Brit, Post can reveal.
Disposals push Capita to £238m profit
The sale of ailing broking business BDML, Sureterm, Lancaster and Delta to Markerstudy has helped push Capita to a pre-tax profit of £238m for the first half of 2014.
Northerners four times more likely to commit fraud
Residents of the North of Britain are four times more likely to commit fraud than their counterparts in the South according to figures from desktop counter fraud company VFM services.
Omdbudsman upheld fewer GI complaints in Q1
The Financial Services Ombudsman has resolved a smaller proportion of general insurance complaints in favour of consumers for the first quarter of 2014/15.
Disputed commercial claims taking 35 months to settle
Disputed commercial claims are taking almost three years to settle on average, according to a study by insurance governance specialists Mactavish, with roughly half of claims being contended by insurers.
Met Office raises UK storm warnings
The Met Office has increased its severe weather warnings for parts of the UK this weekend, calling on residents and businesses to be prepared for disruption.
Sterling partners with Questgates on valuation service
Sterling has launched a new valuation service for commercial businesses managed by loss adjuster Questgates.
Post Blog: What would George Foreman do?
Would you endorse me? Just put your name next to mine. Would you say that you approve of me, and that I’m the type of chap you feel comfortable recommending to the whole wide world?
Hurricane Arthur losses less than £150m
Insured losses from Hurricane Arthur will not exceed $250m (£146m) according to a report from catastrophe modeller RMS.
Grant Thornton insurance chair exits after three months
Grant Thornton’s UK insurance boss Craig Scarr has exited the business just over three months after being recruited from Mazars.