Insurer
UK General in advanced sales talks
Exclusive: UK General Insurance is in “advanced” sale “negotiations”, Post can reveal, with market sources tipping Primary Group as poised to buy the firm back.
This Month: Best insurance employers to the fore
From November last year to January 2020 Post gave insurance employees the chance to nominate and rate their employers on topics ranging from management to diversity and work/life balance along with whether they would recommend the company to a friend.
Aviva has axed 1200 of 1800 jobs set to be cut
Operating profits for Aviva’s UK general insurance business fell 35% to £250m in 2019, though the result excludes the £45m cost of strengthening reserves following July’s Ogden rate revision, as it revealed it has cut 1200 jobs across the company so far.
Coronavirus to gain notifiable disease status across UK
Businesses disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak may be able to recoup their losses if they have purchased insurance policy extensions indemnifying losses stemming from “notifiable disease”, following updates to public health statutes.
Regulators scrutinise firms' coronavirus contingency plans
Firms must be ready for coronavirus disruption, the Financial Conduct Authority has cautioned, with organisations’ contingency plans being reviewed and concerns remaining around call centres.
Covéa agrees $9bn deal for Partner Re
Covéa has signed up to buy Bermuda-based global reinsurer Partner Re from the Ferrari-owning Agnelli family for $9bn (£7bn) in cash in a deal scheduled to complete in the fourth quarter of this year.
Blog: Claims - the final frontier for insurtechs
What is the insurtech difference when it comes to claims? Jonathan Swift mulls on how the Next Generation is starting to figure this out
Interview: Aon’s Jane Kielty, Tracey Threlfall and James Fell
Just over two years since the takeover of Henderson by Aon its leaders met with Emmanuel Kenning to discuss how the deal came about, why now is the right time to rebrand after the heavy lifting of the integration has been completed and what comes next…
Direct Line profits slump under weight of restructuring and Ogden rate
Direct Line’s profits slumped by 12.2% in 2019 as the group incurred the first of a multi-year package of restructuring costs and strengthened reserves in response to the revised Ogden rate.
Covéa boosts paternity pay programme
Covéa Insurance has enhanced its paternity pay by offering six weeks fully paid leave for dads of new babies.
Hiscox profits dive 61% in 2019
Hiscox Group has reported a slump in pre-tax profits to $53.1m (£41.6m) in 2019 as catastrophe costs of $165m took their toll despite a significant rise in investment income.
ERS posts record profit under Aquiline ownership of £13.9m
ERS has recorded profit of £13.9m for 2019, its best performance since being bought by Aquiline in 2013.
Blog: Whither next or wither next for Pool Re?
Post senior reporter Emmanuel Kenning asks if Pool Re is facing an existential crisis after the Office for National Statistics’ judgement that the mutual reinsurer should become part of the government.
Admiral UK insurance CEO Cristina Nestares levels criticism at gender ban
The gender ban in insurance pricing was not approached in the right way and shows why ratings factors should be linked to actual risk, Admiral UK insurance CEO Cristina Nestares has argued.
Pool Re development a 'massive change': Biba
Graeme Trudgill, executive director at the British Insurance Brokers’ Association, has pledged to support Pool Re during consultations about the future of the mutual reinsurer.
ABI flags 'potentially serious implications' as Pool Re classified part of government
The Office for National Statistics has judged that Pool Re should be classified as part of the central government subsector in a surprise move that has raised questions about the future of the mutual reinsurer.
UK insurers warned they could face US-style social inflation
UK insurers could soon see their claims costs increase as a result of social inflation similar to that which is challenging carriers in the US, law firms RPC and Hinshaw and Culbertson have warned.
Trade Voice: John Ludlow of Airmic on using the harsh market to forge closer relations with clients
John Ludlow, CEO of Airmic, argues that 2020 should be the year where insurance moves from a tripartite to roundtable relationship.
Law organisations decry MoJ dropping ADR from claims portal
The decision by the Ministry of Justice to remove alternative dispute resolution from the whiplash claims portal has been slammed by law organisations as a broken promise, just not good enough and removing a central plank of the whole process.
Analysis: Little leeway from five month delay to whiplash portal
The Ministry of Justice has addressed a “loophole” meaning children and vulnerable adults will be able to recoup representation costs when the delayed whiplash portal rolls out, but questions linger over its start date, pressure on courts and claimants…
RSA moves back to underwriting profit in UK
RSA has delivered an underwriting profit of £3m in the UK for 2019, reversing the underwriting loss of £93m the year before.
Tractable targets SE Asia and mulls property diversification after $25m raise
Insurtech Tractable is targeting new clients in South East Asia, the Middle East and Latin America after unveiling a $25m (£19.2m) Series C investment, led by Georgian Partners
Natural England chair Tony Juniper urges insurers to back upcoming climate talks
The chair of Natural England, Tony Juniper, yesterday urged insurers to put their weight behind upcoming climate change talks in Glasgow later this year.
Direct Line to cut 800 jobs
Direct Line Group is cutting 800 jobs over the next two years, the insurer has confirmed.