Insurer
New XL office to serve mid-market France
XL Group has opened a new insurance office in Lyon to serve companies and broking houses in the south east of France.
Investing in China's insurance sector
China's regulators have begun relaxing the rules governing investments in the country's insurance industry. Norton Rose's Lynn Yang and Ai Tong discuss the impact of recent legislative changes on insurers and the wider financial sector.
An opportunity for better risk management and growth in India
As the Indian property and casualty market continues to evolve, Dr Vankayalapati Padmavathi explores how the market is now looking to develop solutions to cater for those who are exposed to catastrophic risks, but are too poor to afford insurance.
Talanx in shock IPO turnaround
German insurance giant Talanx has made the unprecedented move of committing to an initial public offering barely seven days after saying it had cancelled the planned listing due to market sentiment.
Insurance Europe welcomes Solvency II impact assesment
Insurance Europe has welcomed news that the European Union will undertake an impact assessment on measures to deal with long-term guarantee issues in Solvency II before finalising the Omnibus II text.
Talanx resumes £3bn IPO days after abandoning float
Talanx AG is to restart plans to launch an initial public offering on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, scheduled for October.
Pru Health appoints client management boss
Nicky Pepper has been appointed to the newly created role of head of corporate client management at Pru Health.
Woodstock acquires Clear Insurance personal lines book
Endsleigh-owned broker Woodstock Insurance has purchased Clear Insurance Management's personal lines book of business.
Towergate appoints new non-executive director
Teresa Robson-Capps has been appointed to the board and audit committee of Towergate.
Direct Line Group banks to slash IPO charges
The banks co-ordinating the DLG flotation could charge less than normal in order to reinvigorate the market for initial public offerings.
Crawford wins RSA solus subsidence claims contract
RSA has appointed Crawford & Company to be the sole provider of subsidence claims handling services for a five-year term.
More SII delays "regrettable" but necessary
The European insurance and reinsurance federation, Insurance Europe, has welcomed a decision to finalise the impact assessment on measures to deal with long-term guarantee issues in Solvency II before finalising the Omnibus II text.
Penny Black's Insurance Week
Hi-tech romance
My Best XI Mark Colonnese, Aquarium Software
Mark Colonnese, sales and marketing director at Aquarium Software, has chosen an eclectic mix for his insurance start-up Best XI. Deciding against picking any industry experts for his company, Colonnese has opted for sports people, technological…
Periodical payment orders: Struggling with settlements
Periodical payment orders are being used to settle increasing numbers of serious personal injury claims, and their popularity is likely to continue. How can insurers cope with the challenges they present?
View from the top: Winning the war on fraud?
Despite notable successes, fraudsters continue to find new ways to pick insurers' pockets, says Laurent Matras.
Your say: Race to the bottom
Merlin's slide into administration raises a number of issues that our industry must address, says Martin Carway.
Direct Line float will test the waters for IPO sentiment
A Direct Line Group initial public offering will be one of the UK's biggest ever general insurance listings, including Admiral's flotation in 2004, according to market experts.
Comparison sites bullish as Google launches car insurance aggregator
Price comparison sites have played down the threat presented by Google after the search company launched a car insurance aggregator, following its acquisition of Beat That Quote in March last year.
View from the top: Maintaining momentum
After the success of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the industry must capture the spirit of change, says Toby Esser.
EC3 Brokers outlines plan to crack 'highly profitable' US casualty market
Giles' new reinsurance division, EC3 Brokers, has outlined its intention to focus on US casualty business, and claims to have signed up nine clients after launching just last week.
North of the border: Putting plaques into practice
Pleural plaques are, of course, compensable in Scotland once again, says Toni Ashby.
Market moves: Davies and Questgates recruit former Merlin employees
The week again belonged to the loss adjusting fraternity, as the fight to recruit staff left displaced by the demise of Merlin continued with Davies and Questgates both welcoming fresh faces.
Piracy risks undiminished by Somali election, says Willis
The election of Somalia's first formal government in more than 20 years is unlikely to mitigate risks of piracy in the Gulf of Aden according to a report from Willis.