News
This Month: Looking forwards, listening back
Post’s new Motor Mouth Podcast series is proving quite the hit with listeners.
Admiral staff to get bumper bonus as predicted profit soars
Admiral is expecting to see profit before tax of £510m to £540m for 2019, with its staff to each receive a £500 bonus.
Failed Staveley Head and its AR Policyplan paid £10m to parent company last year
The directors of Policyplan and in-administration Staveley Head paid £10m in total dividends to new parent company Gelert Group in 2019.
PE driving market consolidation but private ownership still dominates
Exclusive: Private equity houses and PE backed firms were behind more than 50% of UK insurance distribution mergers and acquisitions activity last year in the £5m plus category, Imas Corporate Finance has calculated.
Insurers accused of profiting from limitation law in child abuse cases as review concludes
In the closing statements of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse proceedings insurers were accused of profiting from limitation law and withholding payments even when convictions were made, as survivors urged for changes to the law and a…
MIB uninsured drivers scheme mooted as template for child abuse compensation payouts
A model similar to the Motor Insurers' Bureau's untraced and uninsured drivers payout scheme has been suggested as one way survivors of institutional child sexual abuse could be compensated.
Beazley aims to halve costs as COR creeps up in 2019
Beazley hopes to slash its expense ratio in half as a result of the proposed widespread reform of the Lloyd’s market and internal investment in automating simpler classes of business.
Andy Fairchild to lead Applied in UK
Former Broker Network CEO Andy Fairchild has been appointed to the newly created role of CEO of Applied Systems Europe.
Staveley Head enters administration after insurer contract 'prematurely terminated'
Managing general agent Staveley Head, known to have used Gefion and Qudos capacity, has entered administration.
Crawford appoints Caroline Poppleton as D&I inclusion leader in UK
Caroline Poppleton has been appointed diversity and inclusion leader for Crawford’s UK operation alongside her current role as head of business development.
Former Skyscanner chief Rice-Jones to chair Admiral’s aggregator network
Admiral-owned Penguin Portals Limited has picked up ex-Skyscanner chair Margaret Rice-Jones as board leader of the aggregator network.
Ex UK General boss Karen Beales made MD at Financial & Legal
Former UK General CEO Karen Beales has been appointed managing director of Financial & Legal Insurance, replacing Mike Timmons who has stepped down.
Insurer concerns on lenders' insurance requirements
Allianz has called on brokers to be more proactive in discussing the implications of financing agreements on clients’ insurance policies, warning that the conditions being requested by lenders are becoming increasingly onerous.
Ecclesiastical faces fresh allegations of unethical treatment as case of ‘suicide watch’ claimant comes to light
Exclusive: Ecclesiastical’s CEO Mark Hews is being called upon to ‘put his house in order’ after experts have been left shocked and appalled at the ‘unethical’ practice of desktopping an abuse victim on suicide watch labelling it ‘shameful’ and ‘very…
Whiplash claims process not yet 'fit-for-purpose'
Without judicial rules in place, the claims portal is just a “smart-looking tin with nothing in it”, cautions trade body.
Aviva's Colm Holmes warns distracted driving is causing claims inflation
Aviva general insurance CEO Colm Holmes has said that claims inflation is far exceeding expectations, pinning the blame on poor driving.
'Massive opportunity' for more acquisitions, says incoming GRP CEO Bruce
Global Risk Partners will continue with its focus on regional broker acquisitions, buying niche managing general agents and developing its wholesale business, incoming group CEO Mike Bruce told Post as New York-headquartered PE firm Searchlight Capital…
Searchlight to buy majority stake in GRP
Searchlight Capital Partners is buying a majority stake in consolidator Global Risk Partners.
Motor Mouth Podcast 2: Back to the Future! What will the future car mean for motor insurers?
In the second of our series of podcasts with Motor Insurance World speakers David Williams, managing director of underwriting and technical services at Axa, is interviewed by Post’s content director Jonathan Swift, outlining what challenges insurers can…
Aon 'in position of strength' as reaches $11bn of revenue with 6% organic growth in 2019
Aon has posted a 35% leap in profit from $1.13bn (£857m) in 2018 to $1.53bn last year.
Integration headwinds hit UK growth in 2019, says Marsh
Marsh & McLennan Companies has reported revenue of $16.65bn (£12.66bn) and profits of $1.74bn for 2019.
‘Business as usual’ for sector during Brexit implementation period
The Financial Conduct Authority confirmed that during the Brexit implementation period European Union law will continue to apply and firms will continue to benefit from passporting between the UK and European Economic Area.
Don't underwrite electric vehicle risks in isolation of claims: Allianz GCS practice group leader Schultz
In order for insurers to better adapt to the wider adoption of electric vehicles they need to make sure that they not managing these risks in silos, a global player has warned.
Gallagher posts 5.6% group broking and risk management organic growth in 2019
Gallagher delivered revenue and margin growth across all four UK trading units of retail broking, specialty broking, Pen Underwriting and Capsicum Re last year, Simon Matson has stated.