UK
Marsh and Citi support vaccine efforts; Hudson takes majority Occam stake; Simply Business in Barclays tie up; Aston Lark strikes Irish deal; RAC picks Premium Credit
For the record: Post wraps up the major insurance deals, launches, investments and strategic moves of the week.
Staff at risk as A-Plan owned Endsleigh opens restructure consultation
Endsleigh has confirmed that people are at risk of redundancy from its restructure plans as it opened a 30-day consultation.
Ardonagh adds £900m to firepower as Ebitda rises and losses narrow
Ardonagh has posted a 33.4% rise in income and a 42.4% increase in Ebitda for the first half of 2021.
Dual targeting $3bn GWP within five years after Align buy
Howden-owned Dual can create a “really unique position in the market” as a specialist underwriting managing general agent and push for substantial further growth on the back of the deal to buy US firm Align Financial, CEO Richard Clapham told Post.
Blog: Is the industry on the right road with EV training?
Dean Lander, Thatcham Research head of repair sector services, makes the case that more targeted training is needed around electric vehicle parts.
Ross Dingwall swaps Hiscox for Partners&
Partners& has recruited Ross Dingwall as managing partner for Scotland from Hiscox UK where he was distribution director, overseeing broker, direct, schemes, partnerships and marketing.
Briefing: Sky is a smarter home for ex-insurtech Neos
Whether the purchase represents an insurance play or not, Sky should present a good fit for smart home no-longer-insurtech Neos.
Blog: The market has strengthened in the face of pandemic claims challenges
Claims teams must be proactive coming out of the pandemic to ensure lessons learned are not lost, posits Markel UK claims and legal services director Richard Napoli.
Swiss Re appoints Jason Richards as UK and Ireland CEO
Swiss Re has named Jason Richards as country president and CEO of UK and Ireland effective 1 January 2022.
Zurich’s Peter Hamilton appointed disability and access ambassador for government disability unit
Zurich’s head of market engagement Peter Hamilton has been picked by the government to represent the insurance sector as one of 12 new disability and access ambassadors.
Carl Hess to succeed John Haley as WTW CEO
Willis Towers Watson has named Carl Hess as president and CEO with John Haley set to retire at the turn of the year.
Willis Re buy a growth not a synergy story, say Gallagher chiefs
The up to $4bn (£2.9bn) purchase of Willis Re will be a manageable integration costing $250m over three years, according to the leaders of Gallagher.
Intelligence: The future of construction insurance
Between geopolitics, a health crisis, climate change and rising costs, it’s clear the construction industry is operating within an uncertain environment at the moment. Could evergreen policies be the answer?
Gallagher to buy Willis Re for up to $4bn
Gallagher has agreed to pay up to $4bn (£2.9bn) for Willis Re's treaty reinsurance brokerage operations, reviving the deal that was called off when Aon’s takeover of Willis Towers Watson collapsed.
Adam Winslow hails progress at Aviva and promises more to come
Aviva has grown across all commercial lines of business and all sizes of brokers this year, UK and Ireland general insurance business CEO Adam Winslow told Post.
Aviva posts highest half year GWP in UK for a decade
Aviva has recorded £2.49bn of gross written premium in the UK for the first half of 2021 up 8% on the same period of last year as it swung back to operating profit.
Analysis: Inside two years of insurance data breach reports
Exclusive: Insurers, brokers and other firms within the industry have made 315 data breach reports over two years, with many of the best known businesses in UK insurance among those to notify and cyber a growing concern.
Spotlight: Personalisation – what progress has been made?
Customers now expect personalised service, tailored products, and the ability to buy, update and access their policies 24/7. Valerie Hart explores how insurers are moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach because they can’t afford to be left behind.
Spotlight: Personalisation - Why self-service claims put the power into the hands of the policyholder
Whether it is legacy infrastructure or culture, things that were once considered barriers to the adoption of self-service claims are being torn down. Valerie Hart explores the progress insurers have made since the Covid-19 pandemic began.
Intelligence: Responsible AI
With great power comes great responsibility and for insurers this is never going to be truer than when dealing with artificial intelligence. Post looks into how insurers are using AI ethically.
Blog: Securing peace of mind in the wellbeing sector
Peach Pi underwriter Maria Naghshbandi considers the cover and claim minefield for practitioners operating in the widely unregulated wellness sector.
Blog: Tinnitus – the next whiplash?
Weightmans associate Richard Burrows zones in on tinnitus claims.
PIB’s Brendan McManus on how getting workforces back to the office is crucial for business
PIB Group CEO Brendan McManus shares his personal insight on the significance of 19 July ‘Freedom Day’ for life inside and outside of the workplace.
Interview: Mark Wilson and Jamie Hay of Abacai
Abacai co-chairman and CEO Mark Wilson and fellow founder Jamie Hay caught up with Jonathan Swift to discuss how AI can help redefine customer experience and why claims are key to their success.