Motor
ABI Motor 2011: Cheaper ‘work journeys only’ car insurance proposed
Speaking at the Association of British Insurers Motor Insurance Conference tomorrow, John Woodcock, MP, Labour's shadow transport minister will propose that unemployed young people should be offered the choice of cheaper "work journeys only" car…
Allianz hails ‘first sanity in 30 years’
Allianz’s UK boss Andrew Torrance has said “the first period of sanity in 30 years” in the personal motor insurance market has helped make personal lines the growth area for the firm.
Money Supermarket launches car insurance app
Money Supermarket has launched a “front-end” motor insurance app for the Iphone.
Insurers unite on winter tyres
The Association of British Insurers is set to unveil a list of major motor players that have agreed not to charge an additional premium to policyholders for the fitting of winter tyres.
Hastings Direct creates Premier brand
Hastings Direct has launched premier car and motorbike insurance products with additional features and benefits as standard.
Chinese motor market tipped to open up to international players
The Chinese motor market could offer great opportunities for international insurers if local legislation is relaxed next year.
Editor's comment: Coming back to bite
Confident words have a nasty habit of coming back to haunt you – as Admiral’s CEO Henry Engelhardt discovered to his cost this week. From stockmarket darling to deep disappointer inside nine months, the motor-focused UK insurer has certainly suffered a…
PSTF: Data protection telematics worries
Regulators must make a decision, stating where they stand on who owns the data produced as a result of telematics devices. Speaking at Post’s Strategic Technology Forum, Phil Ford, consulting director at Metaskil, warned that regulators need to consider…
Targeting young drivers pushes more insurers to switch to telematics
Co-operative Insurance is “on track” to have 10 000 customers signed up to its young driver telematics product, as Direct Line announces it too is targeting a pilot at this demographic.
News analysis: Admiral’s claims woes worsen as quarter three results revealed
Admiral’s market followers suffered a painful dose of déjà vu last week when the motor insurer’s quarter three results underscored its rising exposure to large bodily injury claims, and it warned full year pre-tax profits would be lower than expected.
Market moves: Setting the trend
Insurer MMA was the main recruiter this week, with the firm naming five new staff across its regional office network. The moves set the trend among fellow underwriters, with high-profile appointments at Groupama, DAS and for Markel’s fledging operation…
Comment: Understanding the risks
From December 2012, insurance premiums can no longer be based on gender and, as documented in Amy Ellis’ article, a ban on the age proxy looks likely to follow suit. It is not, therefore, inconceivable that a ban on the use of many more insurance proxies…
Claims - Board representation: Staking a claim
Claims representation at insurer board level may remain a relative rarity — but is it a business critical necessity or a luxury?
Data usage: Made to measure
Can insurers rise to the challenge of utilising multiple real-time data sources to maximise sales while minimising exposure?
Motor insurers in recovery but face rocky road ahead
Underwriting performance among UK motor insurers looks set to improve in the year ahead following substantial price increases, however, despite predicted improvements it is not thought levels will reach breakeven
Bennetts offers classified ads to bikers
Biker-only broker Bennetts is offering free classified ads on its website for private motorbike sellers and motorcycle dealers as part of a drive to grow customer loyalty and protect rates for its insurers.
Blaser returns to Allianz
German insurer Allianz has appointed former motor head Roman Blaser as chief underwriting officer of global automotive.
Only Young Drivers reveals 'aggressive' growth strategy
Only Young Drivers has today announced that it will be outsourcing its day-to-day administration to Direct Group in a move which is said to support the firm’s “aggressive growth plans”.
Phone app launched for motor claims
A start-up company of legal, finance, vehicle recovery and insurance workers has created a smartphone app called iAccident to collect claimants’ data at accident sites.
Rugby club insurer RSA working on M5 crash
Bosses at RSA — the insurer responsible for covering Taunton Rugby Club — have said it is too early to comment on a police investigation into claims that smoke from a club firework display may have caused the M5 crash.
Crash-for-cash in commercial motor a 'massive blind spot' for industry
The Insurance Fraud Bureau needs to take the issue of crash-for-cash involving commercial vehicles off the “back burner”, commercial motor insurers have warned.
Groupama to expand share of non-standard motor
Groupama is expanding its book of business in non-standard personal lines motor after admitting competition in the “Mondeo man” market was stiff.
View from the top: A better deal on motor
We have a problem. As an industry, claims inflation in motor insurance is racing ahead of average earnings increases.
Insurer regionalisation: Spreading your wings
A number of industry players have recently bucked the trend of rationalising, to open new regional bases. Is localism a pasing fad or here to stay?