United Kingdom (UK)
Confused appoints ex-Wonga exec as COO
Confused has hired Stephen Dukes, former boss at the Commuter Club and Wonga, as its chief operating officer.
My Other Life: Yvonne Baverstock, Pyrenean Mountain dog breeder
When not working as account executive at Clear Insurance Management, Yvonne Baverstock breeds and judges Pyrenean Mountain Dogs.
Investment returns drive Beazley half-year profit as it strengthens cat reserves
Beazley saw double-digital premium growth in the first six months of the year, posting a pre-tax profit of $166.4m (£133.9m) largely driven by “exceptional” investment returns.
FCA announces crackdown over treatment of vulnerable customers
The regulator has vowed to “take action” against insurers that do not treat vulnerable customers fairly.
Blog: Home insurance - the rise of non-standard
The way we live continues to change. The nature of risk evolves. And so does the way we understand the UK home insurance market. Mark Eastham, CEO, Avantia argues non-standard is no longer exceptional – and that has significant implications both for…
Zurich sees 25% jump in female job applicants
Zurich UK has seen a 25% increase in female applicants since embarking on a part-time jobs initiative.
GRP buys Lancashire-based broker
Lancashire-based broker 3XD has hailed its “growth prospects” after being bought by consolidator GRP.
Analysis: Mitigating the risk of sexual harassment in the workplace
Over the past two years, awareness of how prevalent sexual harassment is in the workplace has reached perhaps unprecedented heights.
30,000 Alpha policyholders to be moved to new insurer
More than 30,000 property policyholders affected by the collapse of Alpha have been thrown a lifeline in the form of alternative cover arranged by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
Half of industry growth over next five years to be driven by M&A, say insurers
A majority of insurers believe that mergers & acquisitions will drive more than half of the growth in the industry over the next five years, research by Deloitte has found.
This week: Gaukward moment for insurers following Ogden change
It was around Spring when office chat turned to the trend of insurers bolstering full year accounts through claims reserve releases.
Insurers attack 'misleading and wholly disingenuous' discount rate impact assessment
The impact assessment issued to parliament in relation to Lord Chancellor David Gauke’s decision to set the discount rate at minus 0.25% has been called “misleading and wholly disingenuous” by Huw Evans, director general of the Association of British…
Blog: Diversity in insurance - how far have we come?
The 2019 Gay Pride march brought central London’s streets to a colourful standstill recently, and it was a reminder how much progress we have made towards becoming a society at ease with diversity of all forms writes Sharon Bishop, CEO of Close Brothers…
Aviva's Neos hopes to double UK customer base by year end
Neos intends to double its UK direct customer numbers this year, amid international expansion plans and the launch of an add-on product for the UK market.
Young driver curfew plans 'could have deadly consequences'
Introducing graduated licensing for young drivers could have unintended adverse effects, warns Mike Brockman, CEO and founder of ThingCo.
Analysis: SME risk management: Loss of appetite
Small and medium-sized enterprises are facing a plethora of challenges. So how are insurers helping this sector?
Victor Insurance is looking to expand internationally
Victor Insurance is looking to build on growth following the rebrand from Bluefin Underwriting.
Revealed: Leaked emails show Ecclesiastical staff using 'callous' language over child abuse claims
Ecclesiastical claims handlers suggested a child abuse survivor could be “bought off” for a modest sum, according to a cache of emails obtained by Post.
Victor names incoming UK boss
Victor Insurance, formerly Bluefin Underwriting, has appointed John Stephenson as country manager, UK, succeeding Paul Drake.
Money Supermarket clone site shut down
The Financial Conduct Authority has issued a warning about fraudsters operating a clone of price comparison website Money Supermarket.
Blog: Fires and cars - spontaneous combustion is 'use'
The legal definition of when a car is in use and how it affects an insurance claim has long been contentious. Alistair Kinley, director of policy and government affairs at BLM, takes a look at the latest ruling and its likely impact on the insurance…
Hastings reveals Ogden rate hit
Hastings shares fell this morning after saying the Ogden rate change to minus 0.25% would result in a one-off £8.4m blow.
Ecclesiastical hauled over coals in child abuse inquiry
Ecclesiastical was forced to admit the advice it gave to the Church of England related to a child abuse claim could have been handled better.
Zurich's Tulsi Naidu on IPT as a drag on the insurance industry
Zurich's UK CEO Tulsi Naidu explains that insurance premium tax is a regressive tax, which punishes responsible business and the public for doing the right thing.