Post - 2010-04-01
Articles in this issue
Market awaits Quinn fallout
Brokers, trade bodies and insureds in the UK and Ireland were seeking further clarification as to the true financial situation at Quinn's insurance businesses as Post went to press, amid mounting speculation that intermediaries are already seeking to…
Capita poised to grow personal lines with broker bid
Capita Insurance Services is poised to add to its growing stock of personal lines business, with Cambridgeshire-based broker Sureterm Direct a target for the firm, Post has learnt.
MIB chief: warning over extra ELTO costs
Motor Insurers' Bureau chief executive Ashton West has warned insurers that they face "significant" extra costs as a result of an agreement with the Association of British Insurers to jointly build an Employers' Liability Tracing Office.
Earle joins GAB to strengthen casualty
GAB Robins has strengthened its burgeoning casualty department with the appointment of former Teceris technical director Richard Earle as a senior casualty adjuster.
Axa boss hits back at Accident Exchange
Axa Insurance claims managing director David Williams has hit back at credit hire operator Accident Exchange, after being revealed as the insurer with the most exposure to Autofocus evidence.
Invicta buys Lowe
Invicta Insurance Services has acquired Kent-based Lowe Insurance in its second acquisition in two weeks.
UK General in talks to add to Fortis MGA capacity
UK General is actively seeking new capacity following its recent split with Aviva.
TBS signs up Hubbard for non-exec role
Total Broker Solutions has become the latest company to appoint former Axa Insurance chief executive Peter Hubbard to a non-executive role.
Go Compare ad star to feature on world cup song
The moustachioed star of the Go Compare adverts has been asked to sing on the official England world cup song.
GI market to suffer
The UK general insurance market is likely to suffer from a decrease in investment returns and greater claims inflation in 2010, according to Pricewaterhouse Coopers.
Editor's comment: What next for Quinn?
Tuesday saw a flurry of activity following the news that the High Court in Ireland had appointed provisional administrators to Quinn Insurance, on an application by the Financial Regulator.
Third Parties Bill gets royal assent
The legislation governing the relationship between insurers and claimants is to be amended after the Third Parties (Rights Against Insurers) Bill was given royal assent.
Law Commission hits mark
The Law Commission's recommendation that damages should be available for policyholders who receive delayed claims payment has been well received by the insurance industry.
Lloyd's FD: Solvency II no bar to new entrants
Lloyd's has stressed that it has no plans to batten down the hatches and stop admitting new members as the deadline for Solvency II approaches.
AJG boss hails underwriting potential after First City buy
OIM Underwriting will distribute its products through SME specialist Circadian as part of Arthur J Gallagher's acquisition of London broker First City.
Smith Greenfield MD leaves for HR role
Giles Greenfield has left Smith Greenfield to become a headhunter within the insurance industry.
Chubb bolsters broker ties with two hires
Chubb Insurance has created two new London-based roles in order to strengthen ties with its broker partners.
FSCS cuts levy
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme has ruled out a multi-million pound interim levy on insurance intermediaries this financial year, in favour of introducing a £61m levy in 2010/2011.
Arc teams up with Giles
Arc Legal Assistance has agreed a deal with Giles to provide legal expenses and advisory products to the broker's customer base.
Allianz claims victory for future in Bent case
Allianz has welcomed the Court of Appeal's judgment in the Darren Bent credit hire case as a "resounding victory" for the insurance industry over credit hire operators.
MYI strengthens UK board with new hire
Niche commercial loss adjuster MYI has expanded its UK executive board with the appointment of Andrew Homewood as an executive director.
Election 2010 - Industry Q&A: Question time
In the final part of the countdown to the general election, Post took questions from the leading lights of the insurance industry and put them to the three main political parties.
Biba 2010 Countdown: The sun goes down on Gbiba 1710
Post has unearthed the centuries old diary of Daul Ponaldson, Sun Insurance employee, revealing details of his first Great British Insurance Brokers' Association conference.
View from the top: Paving the way for a new government
Last week saw the final budget before the forthcoming general election. Regardless of who wins, it is important that the industry has an open and effective relationship with whichever party or composition of parties is in power.
Postbox: Best practice for owners is to not use consultants
Whether the Financial Services Authority regulation of insurance intermediaries of all shapes and sizes is necessary or appropriate and proportional does not change the fact that it is here to stay.
Postbox: Use your votes wisely
I would like to congratulate Post on its pre-election coverage of the major parties, culminating in last week's insightful interview with Lord Myners.
E-Business 2010: Opportunities abound
Talk about e-business in the insurance sector and most people think of personal lines sales and quotations, and perhaps a bit of supplier management. Talk about potential growth and the onus is very much on commercial lines, and the role of the broker.
E-Business 2010 - Roundtable: Reinforcing the brand
With more consumers looking to buy insurance online, Post hosted a roundtable to discover how technology can also be used to reinforce brands and instil client loyalty. Jonathan Swift reports.
E-Business 2010 - Conference News: Insurers cannot ignore opportunities afforded by technology
Organisations that are sitting on old legacy systems wrongly believe they can keep up with competitors without addressing technology issues, according to Andy Nightingale, head of strategy and proposition at SSP.
E-Business 2010 - Conference News: Barclays chief: security is major customer fear
Sean Gilchrist, digital banking director at Barclays Bank, told attendees that listening to consumer concerns was the key to creating a successful — and fraud-free — online offering.
E-Business 2010 - Conference News: Social networking game reaps rewards for RSA
RSA has seen tangible results in sales from a new social networking game it created on the Polish equivalent of Facebook.
E-Business 2010 - Conference News: Brokers "hold the aces" for SME online purchase
Brokers are well placed to take advantage of e-trading to win a greater share of business in the small to medium-sized enterprise sector, Brit distribution director Simon Cooter has claimed.
E-Business 2010 - Conference News: Industry is dragging feet on commercial
SSP director Richard Crocker has accused the insurance industry of dragging its feet on the development of a sophisticated online channel for commercial lines.
E-Business 2010 - Conference News: Networking sites blocked by a third
Almost a third of companies are still blocking their staff's access to social networking sites, including Linked In, Twitter and Facebook. This result formed part of the interactive voting session at Post's e-business strategy event.
E-Business 2010 - Conference News: Internet tops financial services buying route
The internet has replaced telephone and branch sales as the most popular route for UK consumers to purchase financial products, according to Jeremy Fawcett, finance category director at Yahoo.
E-Business 2010: A more refined approach
The temptation to be reactive to rapid changes in the ultra-competitive personal lines motor market is immense. Andy Nightingale explains why more discerning tactics are required.
Claims - Controlling Costs: See things differently
Identifying claims leakage is essential for insurers seeking to control costs. Sam Barrett investigates whether new analytics and data visualisation hold the key.
Higos employee wins Bristol achiever award
Higos Insurance Services employee Caroline Webster has won the Insurance Institute of Bristol achiever award for 2010.
Kwik Fit names employee of the year
Kwik Fit Financial Services' Maureen Paterson was awarded £10 000 at a lavish ceremony in Edinburgh after landing the company's employee of the year prize.
Jelf receives Beacon recognition
Insurance broker Jelf has become the latest Beacon South-west accredited company, being recognised as one of the region's top performing businesses.
Chaucer
Chaucer Holdings has appointed Andrew Voke to the newly created role of head of production for Syndicate 1084.
Sidley Austin
Martin Membery and Matthew Griffith will be joining Sidley Austin as part of the continuing expansion of the firm's London insurance practice.
Liberty
Liberty International Underwriters Europe, a division of Liberty Mutual Group, is expanding its regional operations into Birmingham with the appointment of Dave Canning as regional senior underwriter.
NIG
NIG has appointed seven area underwriting managers.
Zurich
Zurich Financial Services Group has appointed Pascal Perritaz as chief financial officer for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.
Miller
Miller has appointed Neil Higgins as a global facultative reinsurance specialist.
Cunningham
Cunningham Lindsey has appointed a fraud manager in its liability services division, to support an increased focus on fraud investigation.
Harris Balcombe
John Williams and David Toothill have joined claim recovery specialist and loss assessor Harris Balcombe.
Scott Rees
Personal injury solicitors Scott Rees & Co has appointed its first compliance officer.
50 years ago: Twin is sent to jail for arson fraud
George and Jack Hart were identical twins. They worked together in the same firm as partners, and they lived together with their families in two flats in the same house.
20 years ago: Crisis as Wallbrook is suspended
The London insurance market is facing a new crisis following the secretary of state for trade and industry Nicholas Ridley's decision to bar Wallbrook Insurance from underwriting new business, notably US excess liability risks, due to insufficient…
5 years ago: Tories to rein in FSA if they win election
The Financial Services Authority will be given only six months to bring about a "lighter touch" to regulation if the Conservatives win the next General Election.
Penny black's insurance week
With so many companies having changed their name of late it is easy for even the most avant-garde insurance observer such as one, to sound resolutely stuck in a late noughties time warp. So, Penny was relieved to hear she's not alone and that no amount…