Broker
Direct Insurance restructures and rebrands as Aventum ahead of hitting acquisition trail
Direct Insurance Group has restructured, combining its UK and international teams into one group under the brand Aventum.
RSA's Rob Flynn on embracing the SME evolution
Nearly six million small companies make up the backbone of the UK economy and the last 12 months have seen them adapt in ways that they have never had to before. Rob Flynn, director of UK SME at RSA, asks what insurers can and should be doing to help…
Chubb and Marsh unveil Covid-19 vaccination solution; insurtech investment hits quarterly high; motor/home premiums fall; and Aviva offers cover to new customers affected by cladding crisis
Post wraps up the major insurance deals, launches, investments and strategic moves of the week not covered elsewhere on www.postonline.co.uk
Briefing: Tracking the Ardonagh Portfolio Solutions and Beazley deal
The recently announced tie-up between Ardonagh Portfolio Solutions and Beazley is most immediately of interest to those with a London Market leaning. However, there are potential future implications for the UK retail market.
FCA contacts 2800 firms about missing SMCR directory data
Experts have warned of the potential for fines and regulatory permissions being removed as the Financial Conduct Authority contacted 2800 firms about their directory persons information after the deadline for submissions passed on 31 March.
Briefing: Abrdn or Aberdon’t
Standard Life Aberdeen’s Abrdn rebrand has met with consternation and raised eyebrows – time will tell whether it pays off or falls vowel of its own “clarity of focus”.
Interview: Sean McGovern, Axa XL
Ahead of the British Insurance Brokers’ Association’s online conference next month, Axa XL CEO for the UK and Lloyd’s market Sean McGovern, told Post about his plans for growing the business with brokers, the challenges of becoming boss during the…
Analysis: People agenda pushes advice and employee benefits up the list for brokers
Brokers have been urged to expand their offerings with wellbeing and employee benefit propositions as demands from clients shift due to the Covid-19 crisis.
Ex-Purple boss Les Brewin joins Cobra Network
Former managing director of Purple Partnership Les Brewin has joined PIB-owned Cobra Network as a director.
Gallagher’s Simon Collings on market conditions and if - just if - we are seeing positive signs
Times have been tough recently but as new entrants enter certain parts of the market Simon Collings, managing director of national broking and placement at Gallagher, asks if this could be the start of more positive signs across the insurance market?
Admiral, Aviva and Lloyd’s sign Fintech Pledge; Nextbase Insurance launches with Axa and Ageas; Rightchoice buys Fresh and Zurich in Ping An tie-up
Post wraps up the major insurance deals, launches, investments and strategic moves of the week not covered elsewhere on www.postonline.co.uk
Insurance Post TV: Is there an end in sight for the insurance cladding ‘crisis’? Plus interviews with Abacai and Zego
Today Insurance Post launches its new ‘magazine-style’ television show, which aims to get under the skin of some of the best read stories and articles that have appeared in print or online recently.
FCA fees update: Key takeaways as regulator to hike fees by 5.2%
The Financial Conduct Authority has published its latest fees update, with a consultation set to run into May.
Broker to compensate customers for oversight breaches as regulator eyes AR clampdown
The Financial Conduct Authority has launched its fees consultation and hit out at appointed representative drivers of harm, as it publicly censured Alsford Page & Gems for AR oversight breaches relating to the sale of extended warranty insurance.
Aviva UK leadership changes as Phil Bayles departs for Ardonagh
Phil Bayles is joining Ardonagh after 18 years at Aviva, most recently as its chief distribution officer, with Gareth Hemming set to succeed him at the insurer.
Spotlight: Surety bonds - The evolving energy sector
Surety bonds can offer companies across various industries a method of managing their liquidity challenges. Post looks at the rapidly changing energy sector and how surety guarantees are a potential solution for managing risks if companies are unable to…
Atlanta to buy Be Wiser
The Ardonagh Group’s retail platform Atlanta is buying Be Wiser, with 60 staff expected to leave Be Wiser as a result of its recent consultation.
Intelligence: World of work - how brokers are adapting to the new normal
The longer the pandemic goes on the more profound and permanent the changes in the world of work are likely to be. The broking market has responded well, especially since it once prided itself on the importance of face-to-face deals. Post asks what this…
Axa teams up with Microsoft; Ardonagh unveils Beazley capacity deal; Lloyd's to open Manchester hub; LV rolls out ethical standard
Post wraps up the major insurance deals, launches, investments and strategic moves of the week not covered elsewhere on www.postonline.co.uk
Q&A: Ant Middle and Adam Beckett, Ageas
Ageas CEO Ant Middle and chief distribution officer Adam Beckett spoke to Post about the insurer’s intention to grow its intermediated personal lines business and plans to invest in what it calls its ‘technical engine room’.
Ghost broking investigations accounting for quarter of IFB cases
The number of ghost broking investigations has doubled since 2016, Stephen Dalton, head of intelligence and investigations at the Insurance Fraud Bureau, told Post.
European Commission pushes back deadline for Aon/WTW merger decision to July
The European Commission has pushed back the deadline for its decision on whether or not to approve the Aon’s acquisition of Willis Towers Watson, after the broker submitted new commitments.
‘Reporting gap’ warning as less than 1% of intermediaries reported conduct breaches under first year of SMCR rules
Last year just 15 insurance brokers or intermediaries reported conduct rule breaches under the Senior Managers & Certification Regime, a freedom of information request has revealed.
Markerstudy names former Tesco Bank boss as group chair as it completes Brightside buy
Markerstudy has appointed former Tesco Bank CEO Benny Higgins as its group chairman.