Investment returns
Top 100 UK Insurers 2020
The 100 largest UK-regulated insurers reported a combined underwriting profit in 2019, albeit lower than in 2018. Bond yields fell in 2019, however, investment earnings benefited from the strong performance of equity markets. How will the impact of the…
Analysis: A tale of two mutuals
Eleven days apart in June, two of the UK’s mutual insurers – Police Mutual and LV – made announcements regarding their futures. Their decisions herald challenging times for the mutual model.
Blog: The changing shape of the London Market
Recently capital raisings by insurers aimed at ensuring they have sufficient capacity to support their trading partners and clients during the Covid-19 crisis have been widely reported. Clare Lebecq, CEO of the London Market Group believes the ability of…
Blog: Credit investments - what challenges and opportunities do insurers face?
Despite increased sentiment and some rallies in markets, Lionel Pernias, head of buy and maintain at Axa Investment Managers believes that there are still plenty of challenges ahead for insurers' investments, particularly in their credit portfolios.
Profits nearly quadruple at Ecclesiastical in 2019
Ecclesiastical delivered £58m in post-tax profit last year, more than treble the £15.2m achieved in 2018, according to a filing at Companies House.
Mike Bruce ascends to GRP CEO as Searchlight deal completes
Searchlight Capital’s GRP deal has completed, with former group managing director Mike Bruce becoming group CEO of the broker.
Editor's comment: It's all about the money
Money won’t make you happy or so they say. Despite this it seems there are more idioms about money than almost anything else and for the many insurtechs reaching maturity and especially for those starting off money is a very key factor.
Analysis: Broker buyers upbeat on M&A rebound
As the coronavirus pandemic hits every aspect of life and business in the country Post investigates what has happened in the broker mergers and acquisitions space and what is likely to come next
Trio of insurtechs raise almost £20m as market warned of slowdown in investments
A trio of insurtechs have confirmed early-stage fund raising of almost £20m only one week after the market was warned to expect a slowdown in investment due to Covid-19.
Blog: Aon’s plan to slash pay, preserve dividend leaves a sour taste
Aon will cut the pay of 70% of its staff and slice executive pay packets as it seeks to preserve jobs during the coronavirus pandemic, but the broking giant’s decision to go ahead with a May dividend payment seems at odds with its message.
Investment returns push Covéa into profit after underwriting loss
Covéa delivered an underwriting loss of £22.3m in 2019 compared to a profit of £1.8m the year before, with the insurer hit by high levels of motor claims inflation and flat market premiums along with a lower level of reserve releases.
LV COR slips to 94.9% in 2019
LV General Insurance Group has posted a 13% fall in operating profit to £93m for the year ended 31 December 2019 as Ogden took another bite out of the insurer’s performance.
Insurers' investment earnings face coronavirus blow
Insurers are facing depleted investment earnings this year, as the coronavirus pandemic translates to greater volatility in financial markets and falling bond yields.
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.
Analysis: Reinsurance hikes add to motor pricing pressure
The UK motor market had the unwanted title of the biggest riser in the annual global reinsurance renewal season this January, adding another reason for intense scrutiny on insurance pricing in the loss-making sector
Allianz CEO Bäte calls for tenfold increase in net-zero investments to avert climate apocalypse
Allianz CEO Oliver Bäte has said that the amount of assets institutional investors commit to reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions has to increase tenfold before 2050 in order to avert a climate apocalypse.
Retreat from coal wins insurers praise from NGOs
Commitments to disengage from coal-producing and coal-dependent power companies have won insurers plaudits from activist organisations, according to consultancy Sigwatch.
BoE governor Carney warns insurers over climate change
The Governor of the Bank of England has described climate as a “big, big issue” for general insurers and reinsurers.
Insurers call for removal of obstacles to investing in green projects
The Association of British Insurers has called on the Prudential Regulation Authority to tackle obstacles to insurers investing in greener assets, such as renewable energy.
Zurich's Håkan Hedström on what China's reforms of state-owned enterprises mean for investors
Investors should trust China's efforts to reform its state-owned enterprises but still check progress, writes Håkan Hedström, head of Asian market strategy, investment management, at Zurich.
Applied gets ‘nine figure’ investment from Google VC
Applied Systems has secured a “nine figure” cash injection from a Google investment firm in a move that will further drive growth at the company.
Top 100 UK insurers 2018
In 2017, the combined underwriting results of the largest 100 UK non-life insurers improved but remained in the red. How well did insurers perform under pressure from strong competition and unfavourable claims trends?
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.
Brit profit dives 87.5% at H1
Brit’s pre-tax profit nose-dived 87.5% in the first six months of 2018 on the back of poor investment returns.