Opinion
Groundhog day after 39 years at the ABI
After retiring from the trade body, Malcolm Tarling, former chief media relations officer at the Association of British Insurers, urges providers to avoid trying to make their products sexy and says clear communications are essential in the fight to…
Is premium finance still a tax on the poor?
News Editor’s View: Scott McGee considers whether recent steps taken by trade bodies to address premium finance will reassure the Financial Conduct Authority that this payment method is no longer a ‘tax on being poor’ that needs to be tackled.
Allianz’s Fletcher on fraud prevention in the age of technology
View from the Top: Ben Fletcher, director of financial crime at Allianz Personal, calls for the industry to prioritise prevention over reaction in the fight against fraud.
Overcoming the challenge of insuring self-driving vehicles
Andrew Ballard, product principal for LexisNexis Risk Solutions, Insurance, explains how the Automated Vehicles Bill could help ensure insurers have access to the data needed to insure self-driving vehicles.
CII Broking Community’s Patel on insurance’s war for talent
Trade Voice: Isha Patel, managing director for the South East at Partners& and a member of the Chartered Insurance Institute’s Broking Community, says the industry needs to go above and beyond remuneration to attract talent.
Building Back Better at Chelsea Flower Show
Flood Re’s Build Back Better scheme is being used to not only fund internal flood resilience changes but also adaptations to outside space and gardens in the quest to stop and reduce flood waters entering properties, explains Stephen Linklater, claims…
Efficient rehabilitation starts with understanding limb loss
Jason Chidwick, specialist rehabilitation case manager and amputee clinical lead at HCML, explains how personal injury professionals work with insurers to achieve the best outcomes for amputees.
Sobering reading for those with a Biba hangover
Editor’s View: If you are nursing a hangover after going to this year’s British Insurance Brokers’ Association conference then Emma Ann Hughes reckons you missed the point of attending the annual gathering in Manchester.
Aon’s Thelwell on ensuring quality and support for UK businesses
View from the Top: Joe Thelwell, UK head of SME at Aon, outlines how the sector can usher small and medium-sized businesses through heightened volatility.
What prompted FCA checks on bullying in insurance?
Jeremy Irving, head of the financial services regulatory practice at law firm Browne Jacobson, considers what could have prompted the Financial Conduct Authority looking into non-financial misconduct in the insurance industry.
Mass’s Sue Brown on why the whiplash tariff should be reviewed annually
Trade Voice: Sue Brown, chair of the Motor Accident Solicitors Society, says annual reviews need to be introduced at the earliest opportunity to address the perhaps irreparable damage done by the 2018 reforms.
Has the Biba Conference shed its ‘Butlin’s for Brokers’ reputation?
Content Director’s View: Jonathan Swift looks at whether the British Insurance Brokers’ Association Conference has shed its image as a booze-up for brokers and how it might have achieved it.
Markerstudy’s Lizzie Smith-Foreman on the importance of a sustainability strategy
View from the Top: Lizzie Smith-Foreman, director of group marketing, communications and sustainability at Markerstudy, says that clear sustainability aims are a must if you want to keep doing business with your partners and customers.
Why insurance companies love furry faces
Building desirable brands in the insurance market is a challenge, but it all boils down to the right level of distinctiveness, and of course, it helps to have a lovable mascot that evokes an emotional connection, writes Rob Allen, strategy partner at…
Biba’s Trudgill on working with the regulator
Trade Voice: Graeme Trudgill, CEO of the British Insurance Brokers’ Association, outlines how overtures between the trade body and the Financial Conduct Authority might ease brokers' uncertainty around regulation.
Is the home insurance market set for a reckoning?
Editor’s View: Emma Ann Hughes warns home insurers to brace themselves to be the next target of policyholders’ wrath as moaning motorists are replaced by angry-looking property owners on national newspapers’ personal finance pages.
RSA’s Sonya Bryson on what ought to be insurers’ North Star
View from the Top: Sonya Bryson, commercial lines managing director for RSA Insurance, discusses how the insurance sector can adapt to today’s challenging economic landscape.
Why insurers armed with risk insights don't need to retreat
As climate change intensifies weather-driven natural catastrophes, Moses Ojeisekhoba, CEO of Swiss Re Global Clients and Solutions, argues sophisticated, data-driven risk insights are needed by society to both mitigate as well as adapt to evolving perils…
Could the FCA follow the Australian regulator’s claims lead?
After Australia’s financial regulator sent a letter to the country’s general insurance firms asking for improvement in claim handling practices, Vitesse’s CEO Philip McGriskin asks could the Financial Conduct Authority take a similar approach.
Should commercial insurance be like Starbucks to win trust?
Greg Phitidis, brand director of Free Partners, on why insurers should utilise their marketing teams and follow Starbucks' lead if they want to increase trust in the industry.
Are we ever going to stamp out underinsurance?
News Editor’s View: As Aviva’s broker barometer shows underinsurance remains a major concern for brokers, with almost three-quarters worried their clients may not have adequate cover, Scott McGee questions what the industry is doing to ensure everyone is…
Irish guidelines for assessing damages to push up premiums
Aine Tyrrell, partner at law firm DAC Beachcroft, explains why fresh guidelines for the assessment of damages in Northern Ireland could add to the costs faced by insurers and contribute further inflationary pressure to premiums for liability and motor…
How generative AI can catapult insurance into the future
Graeme Howard, non-executive director at esynergy, explains how insurance companies that have traditionally been on the back foot can now surge ahead of technology-embracing banks by embracing generative artificial intelligence.
MGAA’s Keating on the need for more data sharing
Trade Voice: Mike Keating, CEO of the Managing General Agents’ Association, says data sharing is a two-way street and capacity providers need to be more open with MGAs.