Post - 2010-02-18
Articles in this issue
Credit hire bodies in talks to create single industry voice
The Accident Management Association and National Association of Credit Hire Operators are poised to merge, Post has learnt.
Kerry London winding-up order an "oversight" as firm looks to buy
Kerry London group chief executive Damian Kissane has dismissed a recent winding-up order from Companies House as an "administrative oversight", after it avoided being struck off the register through remedial steps.
Provident is front runner for Tesco motor panel
Tesco Bank is poised to sign deals with several insurers, including up-for-sale Provident, to handle "non-standard risks" as part of a panel arrangement, Post has learnt.
KFFS set to "maximise" potential in £200m sale
Kwik Fit's insurance arm is expected to retain its brand if sold for the fourth time in just over a decade by its private equity owners.
Gracey expands Crawford role
Crawford & Company has expanded the role of fraud boss Bobby Gracey to include the new title of UK business development director. Mr Gracey, vice president of global counter-fraud solutions, who joined the loss adjuster in 2003, takes responsibility of…
Rugby player at centre of credit hire dispute
A professional rugby player has found himself at the centre of a dispute between credit hire operator Accident Exchange and his insurer.
Blackham returns
Chris Blackham has returned to the insurance industry after a two-year break and joined the board of Howden as a non-executive director.
MoJ draft rules agreed
The Ministry of Justice road traffic accident personal injury draft rules have been agreed and signed off by the rules committee.
Giles takes on team
Giles Insurance Brokers has taken on the Brightstar Risk Solutions team, and will establish a new corporate & financial risks division as a result of the move.
Jacobs exits ABI for new role at FSA
Justin Jacobs is leaving the Association of British Insurers to work in a newly created role at the Financial Services Authority.
Car quote index shows rise
Confused and EMB have launched a quarterly car insurance price index that shows the average cost of the cheapest quote rose by 12.7% in 2009.
Esure to stop underwriting Halifax policies
Esure will cease to underwrite Halifax's motor policies after it was bought out by founder Peter Wood from majority stakeholder Lloyds Banking Group in a £185m deal.
Sterling picked by L&G
Sterling Insurance has been chosen by Legal & General as a partner for its adviser network.
Fraud group slams GMC as surgeon avoids panel
The Health Insurance Counter Fraud Group has accused the General Medical Council of providing a "route map" for doctors who seek to escape investigation for misconduct that potentially costs insurers thousands of pounds.
Industry united in FSA fee opposition
The insurance industry has voiced its concern over the Financial Services Authority's "value for money" after the regulator announced increases to regulatory fees for the next 12 months.
Editor's comment: Esure sale is yardstick for personal lines deals
The January sales may not have thrown up much in the way of bargains for those hoping to acquire insurance-related companies. But February is looking like it could prove a more successful month for those seeking a nice little earner at a knockdown price.
Drive Assist extends enquiry
An investigation into malpractice at Drive Assist has been extended after the credit hire operator enlisted KPMG to look into the matter.
Short-sighted insurers are blasted after ELIB greenlight
The Trades Union Congress has backed proposals to establish an Employers' Liability Insurance Bureau, claiming it will stop companies "weaselling" out of employee responsibility.
Construction cover down
UK construction businesses have reduced their overall insurance cover by an average of £3.2m, according to Quinn Insurance.
Publicity order for Act
Any organisation guilty of an offence under the Corporate Manslaughter Act is potentially liable to a publicity order, requiring it to publicise details of its conviction and sentence from this week.
Aviva loses out in brand survey as Axa tops the list
The highly publicised rebranding of Aviva does not appear to have had the desired impact yet, according to an annual survey that examines 500 of the world's top brands.
Halliwells fraud savings
Halliwells' fraud unit has claimed up-front investigations and case management have saved its insurance clients up to £13 for every pound spent on fees during 2009.
Argent hires ex-Teceris boss
The former head of complex liability at Teceris is set to join Argent Liability Adjusters as a director.
RFIB boss reveals plans to buy but not to float
Lloyd's broker RFIB's new chief executive has told Post he expects it to become acquisitive, but stressed that it has no plans to join the list of intermediaries queuing up to float on the London Stock Exchange.
Heath Lambert launches council consortium
Heath Lambert is working with a group of district councils to establish a consortium for purchasing insurance cover in the face of pressure to cut public spending.
Broker targets £40m turnover after MBO
Leicester-based broker Brett & Randall has set a target of doubling its turnover to £40m by 2015 following completion of a management buy-out.
Interview: Andrew Keeling - Turning risk to commercial reward
Andrew Keeling has been involved in risk management since its inception. Who better to lead the discipline forward? Lynn Rouse talks to the new chairman of the Institute of Risk Management.
News analysis: Merlin Refinancing - Magic lessons
Merlin Claims Services recently breached its banking covenants, triggering it to seek a refinancing deal. Jonathan Swift talks to CEO Richard Webster about the perils of boom-time private equity backed deals.
View from the top: Value of human capital
Despite signs of rates hardening in some lines of business, plenty of capacity coupled with the wider economic situation are driving the extremely competitive pricing we are seeing today.
Postbox : Claims process still needs streamlining
While putting a 'disaster plan' in place ('History in the remaking') is prudent method of minimising risks to a historically sensitive building, sadly it may not stop the full insurance claims process being drawn out over many months.
In Series: Solvency II - Getting the message through
Insurer thinking has evolved over the issue of Solvency II and Sam Barrett explains how they are being won round to seeing the potential benefits of implementation.
In series: Solvency II - Making it work
Andrew Power urges insurers to focus on the opportunities Solvency II creates, rather than getting bogged down in the mechanics of implementation.
Motor Claims 2010: All change for motor
The UK motor claims sector is going through a period of rapid change, with the impending introduction of the Ministry of Justice reforms very high on the industry's agenda.
Credit-hire roundtable: Any lessons learnt?
With the tenth anniversary of Dimond v Lovell approaching, Post hosted a candid debate on the issues surrounding vehicle provision in motor claims. Jonathan Swift reports.
Motor Claims 2010: CPS decides on fraud
The nature of insurance fraud makes it difficult for the Crown Prosecution Service to take such cases to court, according to detective chief inspector Andy MacKay, of the Association of Chief Police Officers' Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service.
Motor Claims 2010 - MIB: data accuracy crucial for CIE success
The Motor Insurers' Bureau has warned that the Motor Insurance Database must be accurate for the continuous insurance enforcement scheme to be a success.
Motor Claims 2010: Time issues worry Zurich boss
Ministry of Justice personal injury reforms will place greater time constraints on insurers than claimant lawyers, according to Tony Emms, motor claims director at Zurich.
Motor Claims 2010: Police chiefs seek help from insurers on fraud
Insurer capital and information could prove vital in the fight against fraud, according to detective chief inspector Andy MacKay of the Association of Chief Police Officers' Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service.
Motor Claims 2010 - Axa: performance up following GTA exit
Axa Insurance's withdrawal from the Association of British Insurers' general terms of agreement has been good for the insurer's performance, according to its technical manager for motor claims.
Motor Claims 2010: Insurers must plan for PPO increase
The insurance industry has been urged to put plans in place to manage an increase in injured claimants requesting periodical payment orders.
Motor Claims 2010: ABI calls for MoJ reforms co-operation
The Association of British Insurers has called on its members and the legal profession to work together to ensure the Ministry of Justice's new motor claims handling process is a success.
Motor Claims 2010: Ombudsman calls for credit hire clarity
The Financial Ombudsman Service's lead insurance specialist has called for clarity on behalf of consumers around the use of credit hire operators in the insurance industry.
Motor Claims 2010: Creating harmony
With the perfect scenario for vehicle replacement still a long way off, Brendan Keane examines whether recent developments are taking the industry towards it.
Chartered Broker Status: Raising the bar
Now entering its third year, Leigh Jackson assesses take-up and any tangible benefits of the CII's corporate chartered status for brokers.
Legal Expenses - Jackson Impact: Cheque mate
Would Lord Justice Jackson's recommendations on costs reform really decimate the after-the-event market? Veronica Cowan canvasses views from those affected.
Ask the expert
Despite being on the market for more than six months since redundancy, I have yet to secure a position and am feeling desperate. I can't see what more I can do to return to work. What advice can you provide?
Career Development News: Lockton set to roll out regional apprentices
Lockton is preparing to roll out its fledgling apprenticeship scheme after a successful pilot in Newcastle. The personalised training initiative could potentially see apprentices attached to each of the broker's 11 UK offices.
Career Development News: Perkins Slade is chartered
Independent insurance broker Perkins Slade has been made a chartered insurance broker by the Chartered Insurance Institute.
Penny black's insurance week
Penny was not the only lady wowed by race driver and stuntman Ben Collins at the 10th annual motor claims conference. The handsome gent, who worked on a number of stunts for the James Bond movie Quantum of Solace, told tales of celebrity encounters,…