Opinion
Postscript - 5 years ago: Heath secure with £20m war chest
Looking through Post's back cataloguepaints a unique picture of more than 150 years of insurance news, as this highlight from 5 years ago reveals.
Postscript - 10 years ago: Europeans get Chinese permission
Looking through Post's back cataloguepaints a unique picture of more than 150 years of insurance news, as this highlight from 10 years ago reveals.
Postscript - 30 years ago: Shipbuilders buy 'state-of-art' data
Looking through Post's back cataloguepaints a unique picture of more than 150 years of insurance news, as this highlight from 30 years ago reveals.
Postbox: Validation is not onerous
Groupama Insurances counter-fraud manager Stephen Teeling's recent article 'Getting to know you' raises a valid argument that the insurance industry should follow the example of the major banks and put in place industry-wide practical validation measures…
Postbox: Davies: not just for the big insurers
I am glad to see that healthy competition prevails and wish Messrs Greenwood, Carr and Cranford-Smith good luck in their venture of creating a new loss adjusting business.
Postbox: Five is not enough — more is better for benchmarking
I read the recent article 'Five is magic number for benchmarking' with interest mainly because we have been successfully benchmarking the personal claims market for the past six years.
Editor's comment: M&A activity is steady, with some green shoots
This year has seen only a steady drip of merger and acquisition activity, rather than a flurry, something that was noted by Pricewaterhouse Coopers in its European Financial Services M&A Insight published yesterday.
Penny Black's insurance week
Keeping a low profile at last week's British Insurance Brokers' Association conference, Penny did manage to sneak into a conference session chaired by the body's technical services chief Peter Staddon.
Looking Back 5 years: Endsleigh to monitor Man Utd unrest
Broker Endsleigh said it was monitoring unrest at affinity partner Manchester United, after rebel fans' groups threatened to disrupt the club's commercial relationships.
Looking Back 10 years: Government to centralise insurance
The government wants to set up a single standard insurance package for MPs and their staff in a move to replace the existing antiquated system.
Looking back 30 years: Cricket bucks sports club claims trend
Some insurers have stopped writing personal accident business for sports clubs, in view of poor claims experience.
Looking Back 50 years: British wives dd to family income
Some time ago in the Insurance Forum, when quoting statistics and comments about women in the US who have added to the family income by taking part-time or full-time employment, I said that the position in this country would probably be broadly similar.
Postbox: Educate your customer
The recent suspension of flights caused by the volcanic ash cloud from Iceland has caused much inconvenience and frustration for travellers. Regrettably, this frustration has been exacerbated by inexpert advice to travellers about how they may recover…
View from the top: Positive and purposeful
It's always good to get an opportunity to see familiar and new faces, and the British Insurance Brokers' Association conference never lets you down. The number of brokers attending was again very strong and the networking opportunities were second to…
Comment - Motor Fraud: The right result
Operation Genarch finally came to a conclusion last month after four years. Mihir Pandya details the investigation strategy, the challenges faced and lessons learnt.
Comment - Professionalism: Do the right thing
Roger Flaxman argues passionately about the fundamentals of insurance and questions the apparent reluctance in some parts of the industry to not pay claims.
Penny Black's insurance week
There must be something that rubs off on the England cricket team where Brit Insurance is involved.
BDMA chairman rebuffs founder claims
It is interesting that Mr Charlton is so keen to pass judgement on the British Damage Management Association, with which he has had no involvement for a number of years (www.postonline.co.uk/1636110).
Comment- Claims outsourcing: Poor perception
Outsourcing has suffered from a poor reputation in recent years, with reports of dismal service from third parties. Ian Gilmour examines why, and how this can be addressed.
RBSI cuts are needed to keep up with others
The past seven days have seen two telling announcements from Royal Bank of Scotland Insurance.
Penny Black's insurance week
Penny was amused to see a video on the MCE Insurance webpage featuring none other than TV adventurer Charlie Boorman fraternising with the broker's mascot Big Ed at the London Motorcycle show at Excel.
Postbox: BDMA founder Charlton speaks out
The report that Rainbow will be the first national restoration contractor to "guarantee" restoration work to exceed British Damage Management Association standards is interesting (www.postonline.co.uk/post/news/1601738).
Professionalism pros
I am delighted the theme of next week's British Insurance Brokers' Association conference is professionalism.
Comment: Everything to play for
Solvency II has created a cloud of uncertainty over captive insurance companies. Alan Fleming explains.