Motor
ABI research shows insurers paid £32.1bn in claims last year
The amount paid out by UK general insurers on claims last year increased by £1.5bn on the 2012 figure of £30.6bn, according to the Association of British Insurers' UK insurance key facts 2014 research.
Online buying habits fueling application fraud, says Coupland
Changing distribution channels are partly to blame for the current rise in application fraud, according to SSP head of data strategy Adrian Coupland.
ABI offers staunch defence of application fraud figures following criticism
The Association of British Insurers has moved to defend the process by which it calculated that 180 675 motorists attempted fraudulent insurance applications last year, following criticism by a claimant law firm.
SSP tackles £2.8bn application stage fraud with software launch
Software provider SSP has launched a counter fraud solution within a pricing and data platform in a bid to enable insurance companies to clamp down on rising motor fraud at the policy application stage.
News Analysis: Party conference season approaches
With the Green Party positioning itself as the ‘real opposition’ to the coalition government, reality TV star ‘White Dee’ Deidre Kelly set to speak at the Conservative Party Conference alongside David Cameron and the furore surrounding the ‘Yes’ vote…
Career development: ERS to take on 30 new staff after Welsh government investment
Broker-only motor insurer ERS is undergoing a recruitment process in bid to expand its Swansea office after securing investment from the Welsh government.
MIB extends shifts to 3am to step up support for police
The Motor Insurers’ Bureau has extended the operational hours of its dedicated police helpline in a bid to step up the offensive against uninsured motorists and deliver better support for roads policing teams across the UK.
ABI data finds 84 000 bodily injury claims settled in Q2
There were around 84 000 bodily injury claims settled in Q2 2014, according to new data from the Association of British Insurers.
Ageas signs five year partnership extension with Toyota
Ageas and Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Company of Europe have announced a new five year deal regarding the provision of insurance to Toyota’s 1.3 million UK Toyota and Lexus customers.
Reserve releases aid insurers in posting first profit since 2006
The UK property and casualty sector is set to post a profit for the first time since 2006, with the average combined operating ratio expected to be around 96.5% for 2013, according to Moody’s.
Google research shows 47% of motor sites failing on smartphones
47% of UK motor insurance websites are failing to offer a positive experience for consumers using smartphones, according to a white paper published by Google.
Footman James partners with Chubb on classic car cover
Towergate-owned Footman James has partnered with Chubb Insurance giving its classic car customers access to the insurer's products and services.
More Than offers 16% premium cut for drivers with braking devices
More Than is to cut motor premiums by 16% for drivers that have autonomous emergency braking devices fitted as standard in their car.
Allianz partners with Nationwide and Fix Auto for repair services
Allianz has partnered with Nationwide Crash Repair Centres and Fix Auto UK to provide vehicle accident repair services for the insurer across the UK.
Suspected Japanese crime groups to be offered motor cover
General insurers in Japan will be allowed to sell motor cover to suspected crime syndicates from next month according to a report from the Japan Times.
Ageas joins Carrot’s motor underwriting panel
Ageas has joined the motor underwriting panel for broker Carrot Insurance’s telematics product.
CEO Jansen and CFO Boland to leave the AA
The AA chief executive Chris Jansen has resigned from the board of the roadside assistance company “by mutual agreement”.
Hastings sees 90% increase in Q2 pre-tax profit
UK motor specialist Hastings posted profit before tax of £17.1m for the second quarter of 2014, a 90% increase on the same period in 2013.
57% of motorists unaware of overseas vehicle protection
A month long survey of 402 Auto Windscreens customers has found that more than half do not know if their vehicle would be covered for travel abroad.
DfT denies driverless convoy trial plans
The Department for Transport has denied that the UK government is plotting trials of convoys of driverless lorries on UK roads next year.
Analysts criticise insurers’ use of reserve releases for distorting H1 results picture
Admiral boss Engelhardt calls focus on reserves in financial reporting ‘bizarre’
Uber’s Berlin ban overturned
A ban on smartphone taxi firm Uber operating in Berlin has been suspended until further notice following a decision by the presiding judge of the Berlin Administrative Court.
Trade voice: A driverless future beckons
Driverless vehicles have until recently been the stuff of scary fiction – from Stephen Spielberg’s menacing apparently driverless truck in the cult 1970s film Duel, to Stephen King’s demonic Chevrolet in Christine.
Crash-for-cash pair handed prison sentences
The leader of a crash-for-cash scam and his driver have been sentenced to more than five-and-a-half years in prison.