UK
Needham buys book as FCA shuttered broker Inspire goes into liquidation
Inspire Insurance Services has gone into liquidation after the Financial Conduct Authority ordered the Coventry-based broker to shut up shop last month.
Software house stats lay bare the BI claims workload
Figures collated by Acturis for Post have revealed there were over 39 times more business interruption claims handled by brokers through the software house since the start of the coronavirus pandemic than the average seen across the same periods of 2018…
Miller to expand employee ownership after sale
The existing partners of Miller will be reinvesting into the business to keep a “substantial minority ownership” and targeting broader employee ownership as part of the deal that sees the firm switch hands from Willis Towers Watson to Cinven and GIC.
Swiss Re urges insurance sector to watch out for stagflation scenario
There is a 10% risk of a stagflation scenario which would knock more than 2% off insurance premium growth in Europe next year, according to analysis by Swiss Re.
Travelers expands Mike Lawton’s role to lead on specialty
Former Towergate and RSA boss Mike Lawton, vice president of business insurance at Travelers Europe, will now also be responsible for specialty business including its Lloyd’s syndicate, the insurer has confirmed.
No losers as Cinven and GIC buy Miller from WTW, say brokers
Brokers have hailed private equity house Cinven and Singaporean sovereign wealth fund GIC buying Miller from Willis Towers Watson as a deal with no losers.
Analysis: BI claims 'avalanche' warning as loss adjusters look to tech
Loss adjusters are looking to technology to deal with business interruption claims, with the market preparing for a possible influx following the upcoming Supreme Court test case review.
GRP’s Mike Bruce on broker M&A speeding up in Covid-hit UK
The level of broker consolidation has risen again this year, says GRP’s group CEO Mike Bruce as he predicts more investments to come from long-term investors with vendors keen to sell due to pandemic uncertainty, rumoured tax changes, strong valuations…
Deloitte names UK head of insurance
Andy Masters has been appointed Deloitte UK head of insurance.
Zurich to retrain 3000 UK staff over five years
Zurich’s analysis of its UK workforce has shown that the future impact of technology could mean 270 jobs go unfilled in the next five years if its team is not reskilled.
Vincent Gardner leaves Ethos Broking M&A director role
Vincent Gardner has left the post of group mergers and acquisitions director at Ethos Broking, Post can reveal.
RSA in £7.2bn sale talks
RSA has confirmed it is in takeover talks with Canadian insurer Intact Financial Corporation and Danish provider Tryg about a £7.2bn deal that would split up the business.
FCA issues client money order as it closes Midlands broker
The Financial Conduct Authority has shut down Inspire Insurance Services and ordered the broker to ringfence relevant funds in a string of sweeping instructions.
Brightside to put MGA Kitsune into run-off
Brightside has decided to put car and van managing general agent Kitsune into run-off less than two years after it was launched, CEO Brendan McCafferty has revealed.
Supreme Court BI test case hearing confirmed for November
The Supreme Court will start hearing the appeals of six insurers, the Hiscox Action Group and the Financial Conduct Authority in the ongoing Covid-19 business interruption test case on Monday 16 November, the FCA has confirmed.
Ageas’ Ant Middle on social responsibility
While the pandemic has brought heartache in so many forms, it has also ignited real positivity through the ways people have supported one another like never before, says Ant Middle CEO of Ageas UK.
Analysis: FCA sets sights on broker failures
The Financial Conduct Authority’s Dear CEO letter at the start of September revisited its concerns about insurance intermediaries being at risk of financial failure during the Covid-19 crisis and the need to plan for orderly wind-downs.
Pen Underwriting’s Tom Downey on data quality and the need for collective responsibility
Tom Downey, CEO of Pen Underwriting, sets out why data quality is the key battleground of today that no-one in the insurance industry can afford to lose.
Analysis: Cladding, waking watches and PI - the ongoing fire safety liability battle
Insurers are facing criticism from residents of high rise buildings over insurance costs, waking watch requirements and taking an overly "binary" approach, while professional indemnity insurance access is driving a fire risk assessor crisis.
Insurtech Cytora unveils £2000 travel perk as it switches to permanent home working model
Commerical insurance focused insurtech Cytora has moved to a remote-first set-up for employees including a £2000 annual budget for each member of staff to spend on travel within the UK and around the world.
QBE makes Richard Pryce interim CEO as Pat Regan successor search continues
QBE has appointed Richard Pryce as interim group CEO as it continues the process of finding a replacement for Pat Regan who left abruptly at the start of September after an investigation into “workplace communications”.
Applied targets UK market leadership within five years
Applied Systems has a three to five year strategic plan to take “significant market share” in the UK and Ireland and become the market leader in the software sector, according to Europe CEO Andy Fairchild.
RSA opts against appeal on Marsh wording in BI test case
RSA’s appeal of the High Court business interruption test case ruling only covers two policies, court documents have revealed, and does not include the Marsh/Jelf resilience (RSA4) wording shared by multiple insurers.
Crêperie's High Court BI case against Allianz thrown out by judge
Deputy Judge of the High Court Richard Salter QC has ruled in favour of Allianz in a business interruption and property damage legal dispute decision which he accepted may be “of consequence for other potential claimants” and “something of a footnote” to…