News
Eastern European markets key to Austrian insurers' prospects
Prospects for Austrian insurers are closely linked to insurance markets in Central Eastern and Southern Eastern Europe, where more than one-third of their premium income originates, according to a new report.
Brit wants faster marine claims
London’s shipping insurance market needs to improve claims handling to mirror tighter corporate governance measures in the global container shipping industry, Brit has warned.
Arista expands Birmingham office
Commercial lines underwriting specialist Arista Insurance has appointed Gemma Bradshaw as an underwriter its Birmingham office to grow its Midlands operations.
MSL offers brokers valuation surveys
Legal expenses and broker services company MSL Group has launched a valuation service for brokers to offer their clients.
RSA adds Jos Streppel as non-exec
RSA has named former Aegon chief finance officer Jos Streppel as a non-executive director from 3 October, 2011.
Travelers promotes Coello
Travelers has promoted Richard Coello (pictured) to the role of assistant general manager responsible for professional risks.
Willis warns rates may not harden
Broker Willis has warned that the soft reinsurance market that has persisted since 2004 could become the norm without further catastrophes forcing rates to harden.
Aon Benfield says reinsurers are ready
Aon Benfield says modest additional insured catastrophe events in 2011 will leave reinsurers with sufficient capital to meet the demands of insurers.
Hannover Re: rates and demand to rise
Hannover Re said it expected heavy losses from natural catastrophes to mean the widely varying market hardening observed across the board in previous renewal phases to be sustained.
Swiss Re: low interest worse than cats
Three years of record low interest rates were a bigger shock for the reinsurance industry than recent natural catastrophes, Swiss Re has claimed.
MID names worst uninsured postcodes
Bordesley in Birmingham has the highest proportion of uninsured drivers in the UK according to figures from the Motor Insurance Bureau’s Motor Insurance Database.
UK Government bans referral fees
The UK government has decided today that it will ban referral fees as part of its commitment to curb the compensation culture.
Insurance Insight weekly update live
Insurance Insight’s weekly update is live with an article on the growing problem of travel clinic fraud: and a blog asking when the Middle East will stop being an emerging market?
Catastrophe poll result
Find out if the market voted for government to be the fund of last resort in catastrophes?
Swiftcover goes mobile
Swiftcover has created a dedicated site for mobile users, allowing visitors to get a quote and purchase car insurance on a website specifically designed for their smartphone.
Ascot Underwriting snaps up Aon Benfield UK chairman
Ascot has today announced the appointment of former Aon Benfield UK chairman Charlie Cantlay as executive director.
Groupama and Cost Advocates fear referral fee ban not enough
Groupama Insurances and Cost Advocates have welcomed the Government’s decision to ban referral fees but say it is only part of the compensation culture probem.
APIL demand widespread coroner service reforms
The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers has described the draft charter designed to improve the coroner service as “no replacement” for the planned full-scale reforms which were dropped by the coalition government.
Urgent need for “clarity” on scope of referral fee ban
Steve Thomas, director of market affairs at Keoghs, comments on the news that the government is set to ban referral fees.
Pro Legal warns MoJ over “dangerous” referral fee decision
London-based law firm Pro Legal has hit out at the Ministry of Justice over its “dangerous” decision to ban referral fees claiming that the move would hurt consumers.
Asbestos families campaign against compensation reform
More than 400 families affected by asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma have written to the Forum condemning the planned reforms to the way compensation claims for industrial diseases are funded.
Parabis slams MoJ over referral fees
Parabis has criticised the Ministry of Justice’s decision to ban referral fees.
Dual names new senior underwriter
Underwriting agency Dual Corporate Risks has appointed Paul Russell as director and senior underwriter of its financial institutions division.
Referral fee ban will not reduce car insurance premiums
In response to the ban on referral fees, Stephen Lewis, CEO of Zurich's UK general insurance business, has said that this one element will not in itself create a car insurance market where consumers will see “dramatic” premium reductions.