Post - 2011-02-17
Articles in this issue
LPS smashes first-year target in just three months
LAS has claimed its recently launched professional services division has hit its first-year target after just three months in business.
Credit hire claim reduced by £20 000 as case is re-heard
The credit hire claim of Premier League footballer Darren Bent has been reduced by £20 000 after a court case involving Allianz and Accident Exchange was re-heard at Cambridge County Court.
Motor Claims 2011: Food for thought
The annual Post motor claims conference has become a must-attend event for those leading the motor insurance sector.
In Series - Geography & Solvency II: Using geographic information for contingency plans
Dr Marc Hobell explains how geographic information can help managers with contingency plans if an incident occurs.
Career development & CSR: Irish firm wins gongs
Autoline Insurance Group is celebrating after picking up two industry awards.
Motor Claims 2011: Delegates hit out over motor repair fraud practices
Roundtable delegates from Chubb, Co-operative Insurance and Groupama joined forces to slam fraudulent practices from major insurers in motor repair cases.
Penny Black's insurance week
It seems that the cost of civil litigation is not the only matter Lord Justice Jackson has had on his mind for the past year.
UK regulation needs tailoring for Takaful
UK insurance regulation needs to be tailored to meet the needs of Islamic financial services products if Takaful insurance is to succeed in the UK, a director of the Central Bank of Bahrain has claimed.
Law report: Appeal finds nightclubs owe duty of care to protect guests
This law report has been contributed by national law firm Berrymans Lace Mawer.
Motor Claims 2011: Industry needs to look outwards
The insurance industry has been warned to stop looking inwards and start judging itself against other industries or lose the customer service battle.
Ask the expert - interviews
I haven't been interviewed for a number of years and now I've decided to look elsewhere, I'm finding my nerves are getting the better of me and I'm not progressing past the first interview. Do you have any advice that I could follow?
Power Place chief executive steps down
Matthew Reed has stepped down as Power Place chief executive — just four days after private equity firm Advent took a 45% stake in its parent company, Towergate earlier this month.
Comment - Branding & aggregators: Driving greater success
With direct writers accounting for 40% of the motor market, Peter Thompson looks at the importance of branding when it comes to selling on aggregators.
Motor Claims 2011: Inter Europe boss names European fraud hotspots
Holger Baku, executive director at Inter Europe, has said institutionalised fraud in Southern and Eastern Europe makes detecting known cases more difficult for anti- fraud authorities.
Career development & CSR: CBG duo skydive to raise money for leukaemia charity
A skydive from 13 000 ft and a fear of heights could not stop CBG Group's marketing assistant Kathryn Murran raising more than £1700 for charity.
Motor Claims 2011: Industry needs to reform to rejuvenate
"If we do nothing, body shops and the whole supply chain will become inefficient".
Motor Claims 2011: Research into 'startle reflex' could reduce whiplash claims
Research into simulating the 'startle reflex' before it occurs in humans, when their vehicle collides with another, could reduce the volume and severity of whiplash claims.
Lawyers have their say on civil justice reform
Lawyers have spoken out about the impact of Lord Justice Jackson's reforms of the civil justice system as the consultation for responses comes to a close on Monday.
Motor Claims 2011: Jackson: implementation of reforms is beyond my control
Lord Justice Jackson has urged the government to act on the recommendations in his review of civil litigation costs after admitting implementation of the report was not "within his grasp".
QBE: Commercial motor market in poor state
QBE has warned brokers that rates in the commercial motor market need to rise by 20% if the sector is to avoid the pitfalls experienced by the personal lines market.
Legal expenses - ATE ruling: Playing at being an insurer
Has the recent judgment in Sibthorpe and Morris v London Borough of Southwark put another nail in the coffin of after-the-event insurance? Paul Asplin looks at the result of the case.
Zurich chief blames PL for 11% drop in UK arm's profit
Zurich's UK general insurance chief executive Stephen Lewis has attributed its 11% year-on-year fall in top line premium and bottom line profit in 2010 to underperformance within the personal lines market.
Post history - 30 years ago: Hilton Hotel fire follows MGM Grand
Looking through Post's back catalogue paints a unique picture of more than 150 years of insurance news, as these highlights from 30 years ago reveals.
RSA embroiled in legal row over 'new credit hire'
RSA has become embroiled in a legal spat with Provident Insurance over subrogated motor repair costs, an issue that has already been described as the new credit hire.
Post history - five years ago: Aon to sue Heath for poaching
Looking through Post's back catalogue paints a unique picture of more than 150 years of insurance news, as these highlights from five years ago reveals.
View from the top: An endangered species?
CBS Moneywatch recently put underwriters on their list of 'endangered species', alongside travel agents, newspaper reporters and fashion designers (apparently we have too many of them). All were named among the 10 careers with 'no future.'
Ex-flood chief warns UK could face Oz-type disaster
Investment in defences needs to be ongoing or the UK could face a situation as devastating as the recent flooding in Australia.
Motor Claims 2011: Smale warns of tipping point for policyholders over motor prices
The insurance industry should take steps to tackle the rising cost of motor policies before the government intervenes, Ageas claims and operations director Rob Smale has warned.
Law report: Negligence claim struck out over police record disclosure to CRB
This law report has been contributed by national law firm Berrymans Lace Mawer.
Auto Windscreens bidders lined up
Discussions are taking place with a trade buyer over a potential deal for Auto Windscreens, which went into administration this week, Deloitte has claimed.
Editor's comment: The sales are still on
Christmas and the new year may have come and gone but with many retailers it appears that the sales are no longer specific to certain times of the year.
Career development & CSR: Broker BGL backs youth rugby skills competition
Budding rugby players in Peterborough are being offered the chance of a lifetime to train with rugby legends Will Greenwood and Austin Healey.
Motor Claims 2011: Industry must take lead over text pest marketing
The industry needs to take the lead on legitimate mobile marketing in the battle against the 'text pests' in personal injury claims farming.
Insurers attack 'reckless' NIG guarantee
Key players in the commercial insurance market have rounded on NIG's recent 'guarantee to beat' commercial strategy for NIG Network customers.
Zurich: mutual court ruling erodes commercial market
Zurich has argued that a Supreme Court ruling over London councils' rights to obtain insurance cover via a self-funded mutual has undermined the value of a "vibrant and competitive commercial insurance market".
Law report: Damages allocated in sexual abuse claim
This law report has been contributed by national law firm Berrymans Lace Mawer.
Interview - Gregorio Santos: A new UK journey for Mapfre
With the purchase of Insure and Go, Mapfre entered the UK direct market in a blaze. Leigh Jackson talks to its UK chief executive Gregorio Santos about his plans to grow the business on these shores.
Learning from life: Could Solvency II bring life and general insurance closer together?
When the First Life Assurance Directive was passed in 1979, it spelled the end for new composite insurers. Steven McEwan explains why the advent of Solvency II may bring life and general insurance back in contact again.
Insurer mergers & acquisitions: Is 2011 the time to strike?
After a lean period for insurer mergers and acquisitions through the economic downturn, Daniel Dunkley reports that the first rays of sunlight might begin to show in 2011.
Scott: GI becoming 'recognisable profession'
The chief executive of the Chartered Insurance Institute is confident that the general insurance industry is making strides that will help it differentiate itself under the incoming regulatory regime.
Motor Claims 2011: Longworth predicts demise of the CHO market
The death of credit hire is inevitable as the market conditions in which it once flourished have moved on, according to Gemini Vehicle Solutions managing director Eddie Longworth.
Post history - 15 years ago: Terrorism cover to rise after bomb
Looking through Post's back catalogue paints a unique picture of more than 150 years of insurance news, as these highlights from 15 years ago reveals.
FSA boss assuages fears over insurance regulation
Financial Services Authority chief executive Hector Sants has assured the UK insurance market the new regulatory landscape will see insurance retain a separate identity from the banking sector.
Post history - 50 years ago: Crash victim given large award
Looking through Post's back catalogue paints a unique picture of more than 150 years of insurance news, as these highlights from 50 years ago reveals.
ABI under fire over Jackson
Legal expenses insurers have accused the Association of British Insurers of breaching its constitution in its official responses to the Jackson review consultation.
Motot Claims 2011: Survey finds 61% think MoJ RTA portal is working
The Ministry of Justice's claims portal for road traffic accidents is working effectively, according to 61% of motor claims conference delegates.
In Series - Geography & Solvency II: What are the risks for insurers?
With the implementation of Solvency II looming, Sam Barrett asks if insurers are forgetting to look inwards at the risks their own companies face.
Motor Claims 2011: Adderson clashes with Smale over motor claims collaboration
Brit Insurance claims manager Paul Adderson has spoken out against Rob Smale, claims and operations director at Ageas, and his view that the motor claims industry should not collaborate.
LV branch manager set for return to broking
LV's Manchester branch manager Roger Scholes is set to leave the insurer to join JLT.
Egypt could have bright insurance future
The future of the insurance market in Egypt depends on smooth transition to a new political landscape, according to Cunningham Lindsey.
View from the top: Brokers should dig deeper to protect insurers
Risk is a constant tenet of financial services organisations across the industry - appetite for risk, however, can be more fluid. Traditionally, banks favoured low-risk lending models, which provided correspondingly low but relatively sustainable returns…
Legal expenses: The end of after-the-event insurance?
The Jackson Report could see the end of after-the-event insurance. Veronica Cowan canvasses the views of those in the industry to find out if the market would still be viable.
Post Magazine – 17 February 2011
The latest issue of Post magazine is now available to subscribers as a digital and interactive e-book.
People moves – 17 February 2011
A round-up of people moves and new appointments in the industry, as featured in the 17 February 2011 edition of Post.
Insurers warn SMEs of new legal consequences
The insurance industry has urged small business owners to ensure they are covered in the event an investigation under the Corporate Manslaughter Act.
"Glass ceiling" still exists for women
Research for the Institute of Leadership and Management has shown that 73% of women believe they still face barriers to top-level promotions in the UK.