Ageas
Market Moves - 2 April 2015
Who has moved where this week.
Fitch assigns Ageas Insurance A+ 'strong' IFS rating
Ageas Insurance has been assigned the A+ ‘strong’ insurer financial strength rating by Fitch, with a ‘stable’ outlook.
Ageas unveils consolidated commercial claims panel
Crawford & Company and its recently acquired business GAB Robins are among the big winners following the consolidation of Ageas’ commercial claims panels.
Ageas promotes Middle to head up retail division
Ageas Retail’s Partnership director Ant Middle has been appointed as CEO of Ageas Retail.
Local talent pools
How can insurers develop pools of talent in areas outside the capital, and how do tools such as Linked In and Skype facilitate this?
Ageas unveils small fleet policy
Ageas' specialist policy, Optima Small Fleet, has gone live through the company's extranet service.
Laspo benefits questioned as industry rallies behind Aviva whiplash proposals
Insurers have backed Aviva's proposals to reduce the volume and cost of whiplash claims against a backdrop of criticism around the effectiveness of the government's civil justice reforms and aggressive tactics by third parties.
Ageas warns of retail job losses
Ageas is holding talks with employees about possible redundancies at its retail business.
Demise of outbound call centres linked to customer attitudes, not cold-calling regulation
The days of insurers targeting policy sales via outbound call centres are “long gone”, according to industry insiders, who have cited evolving customer purchase methods for the demise of such call centres rather than incoming cold-calling regulation.
200 jobs at risk as Ageas Retail plots closure of Belfast site
Ageas Retail is planning to close its outbound call centre in Belfast and has entered a 90 day consultation period with the office’s 200 staff.
Credit hire firms tipped to focus on repair costs following landmark ruling
The Court of Appeal ruling on credit hire costs for pecunious claimants will trigger an increase in exaggerated credit repair costs, according to market commentators, who have warned the judgment is not as wide-reaching as insurers might hope.
Commercial Lines Fraud: Commercial stumbling block
With the fight against fraud in personal lines being increasingly successful, fraudsters are beginning to target the financially viable commercial sector
Solvency II NEDs told to ‘up their game' in face of increased regulation
The risk of a decreased talent pool has been highlighted by market players as a potential ramification of “onerous” regulation targeting non-executive directors at Solvency II insurance companies.
Market Moves - 26 February 2015
All the latest job moves in the insurance market.
Europe C-Suite: Keeping up with innovation
Ageas CEO Bart de Smet looks at imminent innovations which will impact the insurance market.
Next two quarters will tell if signs of improvement in motor are 'false dawn' says Ageas UK CEO
Ageas UK CEO Andy Watson has predicted this year could see an improvement in the motor market as fuel prices mean drivers take to the road more frequently but says the next two quarters will tell.
Ageas UK CEO Watson says 2014 results show insurer in ‘good shape'
Ageas UK saw a leap in net profit for the year ended 31 December 2014 to £94.7m from £85.2m in 2013.
Insurers vow to learn from CMA report blow to combat credit repair inflation
The Competition and Markets Authority’s decision not to address the rising cost of credit hire has led to a “free for all” in credit repair cost inflation, according to insurers, who have vowed to unite to tackle the issue.
Did Nationwide score a touchdown or fumble the ball with its #makesafehappen Super Bowl advert?
The screening of an advert of US insurer Nationwide during the Super Bowl triggered a debate about insurance commercials, the likes of which has not been seen in the UK. Jonathan Swift looks at the fallout and asks six experts for their views.
Ageas confirms Stanley’s departure after ‘consultation process’
Ageas’ change and development director will be leaving the business at the end of March, the insurer confirmed today.
Age UK offers 'goodwill gesture' to reverend after discrimination dispute
Age UK has denied accusations it discriminated against a Christian minister by threatening to void her motor insurance policy after she put religious slogans on her car.
Zurich stands by ex-SSL directors despite £100k debt
An arm of Zurich's investment portfolio is estimated to be owed around £100,000 in rent arrears by defunct loss adjusting business SSL, according to an administrators’ report.
ABSs highlighted as claims upsurge threat as CMC numbers dwindle
The rapid demise of claims management companies and the subsequent reduction in bodily injury claims is in danger of being offset by the future strategy of insurance companies with alternative business structures, according to market observers.
Penny Speed Meets... Cathy Taylor, head of commercial underwriting and operations, Ageas
Penny meets Ageas head of commercial underwriting and operations, Cathy Taylor