Company news
Lloyd’s sees diminished results even as it shrugs off 2017 losses
Lloyd’s H1 pre-tax profit was down 51% on the same period last year, even as the Corporation saw improvements in its combined ratio.
A-Plan bucks trend with latest high street branch opening
Exclusive: Broker A-Plan continues to buck the high street trend as it launches its 90th branch and aims for further “sustainable development”.
Jonathon Brown hired as Compare the Market CEO
New CEO Jonathon Brown will join BGL-owned UK price comparison site Compare the Market from 23 October.
Up to 3750 jobs at risk from Marsh's acquisition of JLT
Marsh expects to save around $250m in “cost synergies” from the acquisition of JLT, with up to 3750 jobs at risk.
Marsh group buys JLT for $5.6bn
Marsh & Mclennan will buy Jardine Lloyd Thompson for $5.6bn (£4.2bn) in a move that will shore up the company’s position as the largest broker in the world.
Allianz named most sustainable insurer in Dow Jones Sustainability Index 2018
Allianz Group achieved the top position as sector leader among all rated insurance companies in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index
Weather hit and 'transformational' costs drive Co-op Insurance into the red for H1
Co-op’s insurance arm made an operating loss of £14m in the first half of 2018, which it says was largely due to weather claims.
Bluefin Underwriting swept up in Victor rebrand
UK-based managing general underwriter Bluefin Underwriting will rebrand as Victor Insurance.
Editor's comment: A trip to the museum
This year at the football World Cup we heard more female commentators voicing their opinions on the beautiful game than ever before. A woman sat on the Croatian bench at England’s losing semi-final match and many women came out and admitted to not only…
Bupa buys Kent-based dental practice
Bupa has acquired Hospital Lane Dental and Implant Clinic in Chatham, Kent.
Tasker swoops on GRP for new COO
Tasker Insurance Group has named Graeme Lalley as chief operating officer for the Group.
Markel snaps up Nephila in insurance-linked securities deal
Markel is to buy the world’s largest manager of insurance-linked securities, Nephila Holdings.
Trans Re snaps up Maiden renewal rights as reinsurer plans to sell US arm
TransRe, the reinsurance arm of Transatlantic Holdings has acquired the exclusive renewal rights to all of Maiden Re's US treaty reinsurance underwriting business.
Watchstone suffers Ogden hit, bulks up legal cost provisions
Watchstone has reported a pre-tax loss of £3.5m for the first half of 2018, with Ingenie still suffering from Ogden woes.
Axa's Sonia Wolsey-Cooper on doing serious social good
Large insurers have the expertise to prepare for the future, writes Sonia Wolsey-Cooper, chief corporate responsibility officer at Axa UK and Ireland, urging them to fund research and strike partnerships for the common good.
Zhong An shoots five places up Chinese P&C rankings, underwriting hits continue
Zhong An is now the 13th top player in China’s property and casualty market. It has moved five places up the rankings since the end of 2017.
Acord streamlines testing process
Global standards body Acord is making it simpler for trading partners to connect when they use Acord Standards for the first time or upgrade to its newer version.
Reinsurers turn to M&A to stay relevant as challenging market forces bite
Global reinsurers have turned to mergers and acquisition deals over the last year in order to remain relevant in the face of challenging market conditions, but S&P maintains a neutral view on this trend.
Beat Capital snaps up Paraline syndicate
Venture capital firm Beat Capital Partners and Bermuda-based insurance holding company Paraline are to merge.
ABI calls for regulatory certainty as no-deal Brexit advice published by government
A regulatory deal is urgently needed to address Brexit contract issues for the insurance sector, the Association of British Insurers has said.
Ardonagh Group reports income boost of 9.1% at H1
The Ardonagh Group has reported income growth of 9.1% as both income and profit climb in the first six months of 2018.
Analysis: Pricing climate risks
As climate change becomes tangible, insurers are feeling the heat. Their understanding of the risks could inform not just their underwriting but also their investment strategies.
Ecclesiastical sees premium up at H1 but profit and COR take a hit
Ecclesiastical saw strong premium growth in the first half of 2018 but pre-tax profit took a 54% nose dive.
Top 30 European insurers 2018: A year of steady growth for insurers
Overall, top-line growth for the 30 largest European insurers has been steady, reflecting the underlying economic conditions throughout Europe, explain Tim Prince and Yvette Essen, director of analytics and director of research at AM Best