Insurer
Groupama to sell UK operations
French insurer Groupama has confirmed it will sell its UK operations.
Windsor recruits Price Forbes' binding authority team
Lloyd’s broker Windsor has today revealed further expansion of its North American division following the recruitment of a team of binding authority specialists from Price Forbes.
Uniqa Austria board reduces to four as Holzhauser leaves
The UNIQA Austria board will be reduced to four members after sales director Werner Holzhauser left the company by mutual agreement.
QBE expects 40% drop in profits after tax
Australia-based general insurer QBE expects its profits after tax for 2011 to be down 40% to 50% on the previous year.
Insurers reveal Thai flood losses
Bermuda-based Arch Capital Group has said it expects the company’s 2011 fourth quarter results to be negatively impacted by the severe flooding in Thailand.
NIG boosts SME push with EIS contract win
Bosses at NIG have vowed to support “ambitious” growth for 2012 after winning the contract to underwrite the multi-million pound gross written premium core business of Event Insurance Services.
GPs reveal steep rise in patients with 'bogus' injuries
Medical professionals are witnessing a sharp rise in the number of patients attempting to make fraudulent claims, with 60% of GPs surveyed by LV reporting an increase unscrupulous activity relating to car accident injuries.
Bin Shabib and Associates joins Insuralex
Law firm Bin Shabib and Associates LLP has been elected to membership of global insurance lawyers group, Insuralex.
Mass “cautiously” welcomes transport committee report
The Motor Accident Solicitors Society said it cautiously welcomes the Transport Select Committee’s follow-up report on the cost of motor insurance published today, but warned that there is still a long way to go in “dispelling the myths” about whiplash…
Marsh appoints loss-adjuster to head energy and construction
Global broker Marsh has recruited Vincent Marrot to be its global leader for energy engineering and leader of construction engineering for the firm's international division.
Mitsui Sumitomo to hit accident market
Mitsui Sumitomo at Lloyd’s has appointed Steve Ranzetta as class underwriter to target the UK and international accident & health market.
Catastrophes could halve QBE profits
QBE has warned its profit margin could be cut in half by catastrophe claims.
Industry responds to cost of motor insurance follow up report
The industry has delivered mixed responses to the Transport Committee's follow up to the cost of motor insurance report.
Further committee recommended in cost of motor insurance follow up report
MPs have called on the government to establish a cross-departmental ministerial committee on reducing the cost of motor insurance and publish a plan to address each aspect of the problem.
Penny Black’s insurance week
Penny couldn’t help but feel sorry for Eddie Edwards, construction underwriter at Chubb Managing Agent, who has been on the personal end of a metal theft claim.
Editor's comment: Battle of the brands
From scrap yards to scrap heaps. Last week, the industry was getting agitated about the soaring problem of metal theft, while this week it’s more a sad tale of two well-known insurance names finding themselves destined only for the brand graveyard.
EC gender directive guidelines a ‘disappointment’
The European Commission’s guidelines for applying the soon-to-be-implemented gender directive have added clarity but have been labelled a “disappointment”.
Breast implant scare could leave insurers facing multi-million-pound-bill
A £400m bill could land at the door of clinics and their insurers in the fallout of the banning of Poly Implant Prothese breast implants.
Growth in green energy prompts Rural to enter market
Specialist agricultural insurer Rural, part of UKGI, is the latest business to launch a suite of green insurance products to meet the growing demand for cover from farmers investing in renewable energy schemes.
Insurers welcome compensation reform as legal firms blast government policy
Major UK insurers have responded to David Cameron’s vow to “kill off” the UK compensation culture by welcoming a reduction of health and safety red tape, while demanding safeguards to maintain safe workplaces.
View from the top: Fighting fraud
Insurers and intermediaries must act now to beat the rise in personal lines fraud, says Will price, BGL.
View from the top: Time for radical action on motor
Moving to a first-party system would fix many inherent problems and directly tackle inflated costs, says Andrew Torrance, Allianz Insurance.
Ask the expert
I plan to resign soon as, although I like the company I work for, I dislike my line manager. Is it wise to use my exit interview to make others aware of their poor management style or will that affect my references and my new job?
Market moves: New faces in the broker space
This week saw a flurry of moves in the broking sector, with both Lorica and Alan & Thomas brining in several new faces.