Commercial
Airmic teams up with Cost Advocates
Airmic has chosen costs law specialists Cost Advocates to provide its members with help reducing legal costs expenditures.
LAS completes first acquisition since Gresham-backed MBO
LAS Claims Management has completed its first acquisition since its private equity-backed management buyout from Lanes Group Plc in 2010.
Willis appoints Bellone MD of European capital markets
Willis Group Holdings has named Andrea Bellone as managing director in the European team of Willis Capital Markets & Advisory, effective immediately.
Mapfre expects 6% revenue increase in 2012, as 2011 rises 3.2%
In 2011, Mapfre achieved a net result of €963m, a 3.2% rise on the 2010 full year results.
US targets insurers of Iran deals
Companies that insure trade with Iran would be cut off from the US financial system under legislation aimed to further target Tehran's nuclear programme.
Insurers face £72m Australian flood losses
Insurers are anticipating losses of £72m and at least 5000 claims from the Australian floods, according to Risk Management Solutions.
Talent poll
How is the industry finding talent?
Direct Line Group reviews loss adjuster panels
Direct Line Group has asked loss adjusters on its current panels to submit new prices for work ahead of the existing contracts expiring in July.
In Series: Emerging Markets - MENA means business
Despite growing competition in the Middle East and North Africa from local providers, there are still opportunities for foreign insurers in the market
County Insurance boss lines up early acquisition delivery
Ambitious north west broker County Insurance could be in line to deliver on its five-year plan of landing ten acquisition targets ahead of schedule, with two early purchases expected to be tied up within two months.
Aviva eyes commercial improvements by dropping underperforming lines of business
David McMillan, Aviva UK general insurance chief executive, remains confident his firm can recover from a "challenging" year in terms of commercial business, following the decision to drop a number of underperforming lines of motor business.
In Series Emerging Markets: The importance of being experts
Despite the political upheavals in the Middle East and North Africa, the thirst for self-development and raised standards has continued unabated.
View from the top: New syndicates essential if Lloyd’s market is to thrive
As Lloyd’s tackles the thorny issue of distribution, perhaps a fundamental issue is that it must encourage the market to continue to rejuvenate by enabling the creation of new syndicates.
'Sticking plaster' Statement of Principles distorts flood insurance market
The Statement of Principles was never designed to be anything more than a "sticking plaster", according to James Dalton, head of property insurance at the Association of British Insurers.
Government warned it cannot 'duck' issue of poor being priced out of flood insurance
People on lower incomes could be priced out of flood insurance following the end of the Statement of Principles.
Renewing Statement of Principles will not solve flood cover issue, says Defra
The issue that confronts the insurance sector and government today is not the ending of the Statement of Principles, as renewing it would not solve the problem, but that underwriters are changing their approach to pricing flood risk.
Aviva bemoans 'challenging' UK commercial sector as CEO Moss heralds 2011 progress
Aviva's UK general insurance continuing operations saw a decrease in operating profit and underwriting result in 2011 to £540m (2010: £567m) and £129m (2010: £184m) respectively. This was mostly as a result of the reduced contribution from Aviva Re.
Comment: Mind the Watford Gap
Web-based technology means the Lloyd's market can afford to look beyond London
LMG extends electronic approach
The London Market Group has extended its electronic endorsements initiative to all classes of business. Brokers can send all endorsements in every class electronically, and insurers will be able to respond to them.
Editor's comment: Insurers must be socially mobile
Joining a party too late can be disastrous. Not least because the early attendees may have drunk the place dry.
Christchurch one year on: a forgotten city?
A year on from the earthquakes in New Zealand, while the Christchurch disasters may be slipping out of public consciousness, the work to rebuild the city continues.
Commercial Insurers: Global Compliance - Airmic's proposed database raises questions
With global compliance still a major concern for risk managers, will Airmic's proposed database soothe corporate clients?
A winning combination: interview with Paulino Fajardo and David Pollitt
Davies Arnold Cooper and Beachcroft merged in late 2011 under the DAC Beachcroft banner. Paulino Fajardo and David Pollitt discuss the tie-up and their plans for the future.
Journey through the dark: the effect of ABS on solicitors' professional indemnity business
The effect of the arrival of alternative business structures on solicitors' professional indemnity business remains unclear, with no indication of what's at the end of the tunnel.