News
Claims: FSA plays hardball
Insurance companies could face fines or alternative disciplinary action unless they improve their cur...
On track
Railway safety is improving, according to new figures released last week by the Health and Safety E...
A helping hand
Some insurance companies are choosing to set up helplines as a way of improving customer relationships and cutting claims costs. Mira Butterworth considers this trend, which aims to give valuable advice to customers when they need it most.
A starring role
Severe weather conditions mean property claims are on the increase. Many insurers now offer a dedicated out-of-hours service for this important market, providing a shining example of just what 24/7 can achieve, says Marcus Alcock.
Markerstudy buys broker ASA
Broker-only insurance group Markerstudy International Holdings has bought broker ASA, from Axa, with ...
Big business in the small hours?
Now expected by customers, round-the-clock service is helping insurance companies stay ahead of the competition and boost profits. However, call centres struggle to recruit staff into what is often an underpaid and unmotivating job. Jane Bernstein…
DTI steps in to give HLS cover
Following months of concerted action by animal rights activists against broker Marsh, the governmen...
OS maps out its insurance plans
Geographical information provider Ordnance Survey is launching into the insurance market, with the he...
IT provider MCS changes name
IT provider MCS has changed its name to Sectornet. The rebrand occurred after MCS introduced Net.Se...
Ding-dong merrily on call
Churchill has joined the ranks of insurers that have gone 24/7, which means for some staff, 25 December will be just another working day. The company's head of operations and customer services Charles Breslin talks to Jonathan Swift about the…
Tuning in to 24/7
An open-all-hours attitude is becoming indispensable in British business. Lynn Rouse looks at the challenges insurance companies have faced so far as they switch on to the 24/7 wavelength.
RSA halves claims departments
Royal & Sun Alliance is set to restructure its claims operations resulting in the closure of half i...
Independence is a misnomer
Insurer-owned assistance companies are not compromised when it comes to working for other insurers, argues Dean Harvey.
AIG Europe launches Fleet Protector
AIG Europe this week launched Fleet Protector, a new commercial motor product for UK-based companie...
A hard day's night
David Fanning looks at the pros and cons of outsourcing out of hours call centre services - and the challenges for both outsource providers and their insurer clients.
Collins Solicitors vows to obtain justice for DVT victims
Collins Solicitors has vowed to obtain justice for victims of deep vein thrombosis, despite Mr Just...
Hiscox agrees quota share with Berkshire
Warren Buffett has further increased his stake in the Lloyd's market. The US financier's Berkshire Ha...
Scor completes capital raising
France's largest reinsurer, Scor, has completed the capital raising it launched on 20 November. Sco...
Brit backs new underwriting agency
UK (re)insurer Brit has granted a binding authority to a new agency, Augsburg Re, enabling it to writ...
10 years ago
Ten years ago, Direct Line and Churchill were being primed to make major inroads into the motor sec...
Insurers pass up £25m cost-saving recovery idea
I wrote to Post Magazine some time ago (Insurers fail to respond on cost savings, PM, 13 June, p14)...
FSA must not penalise charity
Regulating insurance strives to alleviate risk for the consumer, but David Hoyle wonders if is it a catch-22 situation, as the FSA's plans could actually reduce rather than increase access to affordable insurance for some sections of society.
Holmans launches online binding system
Lloyd's broker Holmans has launched a web-based binding authority administration system for underwr...
Lloyd's faces Volvo claim as vehicle carrier sinks
The UK Protection & Indemnity Club could face a payout of £65m as insurer of the Bahamas-registered...