Mergers & acquisitions (M&A)
Miller to expand employee ownership after sale
The existing partners of Miller will be reinvesting into the business to keep a “substantial minority ownership” and targeting broader employee ownership as part of the deal that sees the firm switch hands from Willis Towers Watson to Cinven and GIC.
Covéa fined €20m by Paris court in civil suit with Scor
Covéa and its CEO and chairman Thierry Derez have been fined €20.1m (£17.9m) by a Paris court for a breach of legal and fiduciary duties and obligations on the part of Derez in his role as a director of Scor.
No losers as Cinven and GIC buy Miller from WTW, say brokers
Brokers have hailed private equity house Cinven and Singaporean sovereign wealth fund GIC buying Miller from Willis Towers Watson as a deal with no losers.
Briefing: Is RSA's sale to an overseas bidder a sign of the UK’s declining stature as a global insurance player?
With RSA poised to be sold to a consortium of a Danish and Canadian investors, the number of internationally recognised UK-domiciled insurers is set to reduce by one. Post content director Jonathan Swift asks: is it time to dust off plans for the Royal…
Vote now for the winner of the Industry Impact Award at the 2020 British Insurance Awards
This prestigious award recognises the importance of business deals, partnerships and key hires, and the 2020 winner will be decided by you.
GRP’s Mike Bruce on broker M&A speeding up in Covid-hit UK
The level of broker consolidation has risen again this year, says GRP’s group CEO Mike Bruce as he predicts more investments to come from long-term investors with vendors keen to sell due to pandemic uncertainty, rumoured tax changes, strong valuations…
Vincent Gardner leaves Ethos Broking M&A director role
Vincent Gardner has left the post of group mergers and acquisitions director at Ethos Broking, Post can reveal.
Briefing: The Seven Year Pitch - Why has it taken Stephen Hester so long to sell RSA?
Almost seven years after he took over as group CEO, Stephen Hester looks like he is finally closing in on a sale for RSA. The big question, as Post content director Jonathan Swift asks, is why has it taken so long?
RSA in £7.2bn sale talks
RSA has confirmed it is in takeover talks with Canadian insurer Intact Financial Corporation and Danish provider Tryg about a £7.2bn deal that would split up the business.
Analysis: FCA sets sights on broker failures
The Financial Conduct Authority’s Dear CEO letter at the start of September revisited its concerns about insurance intermediaries being at risk of financial failure during the Covid-19 crisis and the need to plan for orderly wind-downs.
ERS to enter specialist commercial as CEO Ian Parker steps down
ERS confirmed CEO Ian Parker will step down after seven years, as the motor-focused insurer revealed it is entering specialist commercial insurance.
Ageas sells Tesco Underwriting stake for at least £125m
Tesco Bank will pay Ageas at least £125m for its 50.1% stake in Tesco Underwriting as it confirmed the deal first revealed by Post last year.
UK General posts £8.3m operating loss and confirms business line exits
UK General Insurance lost £7.9m after tax in the year ended 31 March 2019, reversing a £838,582 profit the year before.
Carl Shuker hails growth potential as A-Plan buys Ingenie from Watchstone
A-Plan Group has struck its first deal since being bought by Hyperion snapping up telematics specialist Ingenie.
Watchstone opens legal claim process against KPMG
Watchstone, formerly known as Quindell, has filed a claim against KPMG in the High Court believed to be related to the accountant’s 2013 audit of the business, which previously led to a £4.5m fine for KPMG and a public reprimand from the Financial…
Ardonagh strikes deal for Lloyd Latchford
Ardonagh is buying specialist retail broker Lloyd Latchford Group for £15.3m, Post can reveal.
HG to own 20% of Hyperion as investment boosts ‘war chest’ to $1.5bn
When the transaction for HG to invest in Hyperion closes the private equity firm will hold “just over 20%” of the business, CEO David Howden told Post.
Hyperion valued at $5bn as former A-Plan owner HG invests days after sale
Private equity firm HG has invested in Howden-owner Hyperion in a deal that puts a $5bn (£3.9bn) enterprise value on the insurance group.
Ardonagh to sell Bennetts after CMA ruling
Ardonagh has offered to sell motorcycle specialist Bennetts to address the concerns of the Competition and Markets Authority and avoid a “long, burdensome and expensive phase two enquiry”.
Clear buying Brokerbility a “huge step forward”, says CEO Lickens
Clear Group has bought Brokerbility Holdings including its broking, network and technology businesses for an undisclosed sum.
Bupa’s CS Healthcare takeover clears CMA hurdle
The Competition and Markets Authority has approved the proposed merger of Bupa Insurance and CS Healthcare with the pair hoping to complete the deal in January next year.
Analysis: Hastings sale - a welcome and a warning
The bid to take motor insurer Hastings back into private hands is a positive move for the company and a stamp of approval for the sector, say market specialists – but, after years of growth, challenges lie ahead
A-Plan buy cost 'approaching £700m', Howden confirms
Howden’s purchase of A-Plan for “approaching £700m” has created a business of scale that is a true “challenger broker”, according to David Howden, CEO of Hyperion Insurance Group.
Two potential bidders pull out of race for AA
Shares in the AA opened more than 17% down this morning as private equity firms Centrebridge Partners Europe and Platinum Equity both confirmed they would not be bidding for the business.