UK
Saga sees boost in three-year policy sales
Saga faced up to claims inflation and a £4m Thomas Cook hit, according to a trading update ahead of its annual results, as it forecast a 3% yearly fall in branded home and motor policies.
Biba’s Graeme Trudgill joins ELTO board
Graeme Trudgill, executive director of the British Insurance Brokers’ Association has joined the board of the Employers’ Liability Tracing Office.
Banks push further into UK SME insurance
Banks have nearly doubled their share of the UK SME insurance market in two years, according to research published by Globaldata.
Admiral gains centre of excellence in wellbeing status
Admiral has been named a centre of excellence in wellbeing by the Great Place to Work Institute.
Christopher Woolard named interim FCA CEO
HM Treasury has appointed Christopher Woolard as interim CEO of the Financial Conduct Authority, effective mid-March when Andrew Bailey departs.
Henderson to rebrand as Aon this April
Aon expects to rebrand Henderson Insurance Broking Group under its global brand on 1 April, Post can reveal.
Aon names Helene Madell UK chief broking officer
Aon has appointed Helene Madell as chief broking officer for commercial risk solutions, health solutions and affinity in the UK.
CFC strikes second deal with Threatinformer buy
CFC has bought London-based insurtech Threatinformer for an undisclosed sum.
PE house completes £285m Charles Taylor buy
US private equity firm Lovell Minnick Partners has completed its deal to buy Charles Taylor.
Biba launches 2020 Manifesto: Access
The British Insurance Brokers’ Association called for more proportionate regulation as it launched its 2020 Manifesto: Access.
Chaucer appoints CRO from within
James Wright will become Chaucer’s chief risk officer from April.
Car insurance premiums jump 5% in 2019: Confused and WTW
Comprehensive car insurance premiums in the UK increased by 4% in the final quarter of 2019, taking the annual uplift to 5%, according to the latest Confused Car Insurance Price Index in association with Willis Towers Watson.
Financial services survey finds insurance optimism surging
Optimism among insurance providers has soared to its highest level in years, according to the latest CBI/PwC Financial Services Survey, with brokers also increasingly upbeat.
Pukka hits pause on business
Exclusive: Motor managing general agent Pukka has temporarily suspended trading, having reached its capacity limit with providers.
FSCS reveals £12.4m cost of Qudos and Lamp failures
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme has forecast that the failures of Qudos Insurance in December 2018 and Lamp Insurance in May last year will cost £12.4m this financial year.
FSCS set to cut levy for insurers as broker bill rises in 2020/21
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme has proposed a levy on general insurance providers of £118m for 2020/21, down £47m on the budget for the current year.
Trade Voice: Ozlem Gurses of Bila on insurtechs and fair treatment of consumers
Ozlem Gurses, reader in insurance and commercial law at King’s College London and British Insurance Law Association committee member, asks if the oversight of insurtechs is keeping up with the potential damage to consumer protection that new technology…
Go Compare urges 28 day cooling off period for auto-renewals
Go Compare has called for a doubling of the cooling off period for auto-renewals from 14 to 28 days during which time insurers should take “all reasonable steps” to make customers aware their insurance has been auto-renewed.
Somerset Bridge sells Business Choice Direct
Arron Banks-backed Somerset Bridge Insurance Services has sold its commercial insurance subsidiary Business Choice Direct Insurance Services to Somerset-headquartered Lloyd & Whyte Group for an undisclosed sum.
Ken Randall to step down from R&Q
R&Q has recruited William Spiegel as executive director and deputy group chairman ahead of co-founder Ken Randall stepping down in around 12 months’ time.
Former Iprism holding company moves towards liquidation with small payout
Unsecured creditors of Spectrum Bidco are in line to get a £216,112 payout as the former holding company of Iprism Underwriting Agency moves from administration into creditors’ voluntary liquidation.
CII ready to be 'held to account' over corporate chartered status refresh
The Chartered Insurance Institute is ready to be held to account, having rolled out its priorities for refreshing corporate chartered status last year, professional standards director Melissa Collett told Post.
GRP adds Birrell Group as Midlands hub
Global Risk Partners has taken a majority stake in the Birrell Group, based in Lutterworth, Leicestershire. The group consists of Kingsway Insurance Services and Bausor Hall Associates.
Allclear appoints Cameron Jack as group CFO
Allclear has recruited Cameron Jack as group chief financial officer from retail group TFG London where he spent five years as CFO.