Motor
Ai Claims profits up 38%
Motor claims management firm, Ai Claims, has reported a profit after tax of £2.7m in the year to 30 June 2011 - up 38% on the £1.9m it made the previous financial year.
AM Best calls for UK insurer price hikes
UK Insurers need to put up prices and cannot release reserves for much longer because of the weak economy ruining investment returns, AM Best has warned.
Ellis Clowes opens Banbury office
Lloyd's insurance broker Ellis Clowes has opened its second office in Banbury.
Crash for cash gang to be sentenced
A gang of crash for cash criminals who pocketed almost £2m from false claims submitted through fraudulent accident management companies will be sentenced at Southwark Crown Court next month.
RSA to head to High Court to defend disputed subrogation policy
RSA is going to the High Court next year in a bid to defend its policy of adding as much as 25% to bills passed on to rival insurers through subrogation.
Editor's comment: Overcoming the barriers
If there’s one thing we can say for sure this week, it’s that the latest round in the subrogation set-to over disputed motor repair bills will not be the last.
Expert opinion: A missed opportunity
MP for Blackburn Jack Straw's proposed bill will have no effect on fraud or premiums, says Philip Dicken, strategic partnersip director, New Law.
View from the top: Sleepwalking to a fleet nightmare
New business discounts, cross subsidising and top-line chasing remain rife, says Laurent Matras, managing director, Groupama Insurances.
Law report: Negligence found after tyre blow-out
This law report has been contributed by national law firm Berrymans Lace Mawer.
Whiplash - Britain: The European whiplash capital
With its proportion of whiplash claims far outstripping any other European nation, what must the UK do to curb this cause of claims inflation?
ABSs could drive down motor claims costs
Alternative Business Structures could be used by the sector to “revolutionise” motor claims processes, yielding savings for insurers, brokers and their customers, according to Tim Roberts, senior partner of Parabis and Eddie Longworth, managing director…
Aviva reviews Downton Abbey adverts
Aviva says it is reviewing critical comments about its TV advertising campaign after Downton Abbey viewers complained about the insurer’s sponsorship and series of TV ads on Sunday night.
RSA insists adding to claims is “legal”
RSA has insisted its use of a wholly-owned subsidiary to increase the prices of motor accident repairs charged to rival firms is lawful.
RSA’s enhanced motor claims add 25%
Britain’s fourth biggest motor insurer RSA stands accused by a county court judge of artificially inflating repair costs charged to other insurers by more than £2.4m.
RSA launches campaign to change eyesight testing
RSA bosses are calling for sweeping changes to the process behind how driver’s eyesight is tested following the launch of a nationwide campaign to see if motorists are ‘Fit to Drive’.
Comment - Civil litigation: You’re part of the problem
When the insurance industry launches a campaign to reform our “broken civil litigation system” it predictably wheels out dodgy statistics – including that complete nonsense of a report from Frontier Economics again — and dubious ‘facts’. It conveniently…
Editor's comment: The devil is in the detail
Just when consensus was building across the insurance industry that banning referral fees alone will not cure the UK civil litigation system of all its perceived ills, reduce car insurance premiums, or single-handedly wipe out personal injury claims…
Mooted HSBC GI sale a sign of the times
HSBC’s mooted plan to sell its general insurance arm is part of a growing trend of banks “retrenching”, according to an analyst.
Interview – Pierre Lefèvre: A long time coming
As international division managing director for Groupama, the UK once again falls under the watchful eye of Pierre Lefèvre, after an earlier five-year stint as the country’s CEO. Almost a decade after their last interview, Lynn Rouse catches up with…
MID names worst uninsured postcodes
Bordesley in Birmingham has the highest proportion of uninsured drivers in the UK according to figures from the Motor Insurance Bureau’s Motor Insurance Database.
Parabis slams MoJ over referral fees
Parabis has criticised the Ministry of Justice’s decision to ban referral fees.
Government bans referral fees
The government has announced today that it is to ban referral fees as part of its commitment to curb the compensation culture, but is yet to specify a date.
Your say: Sports stars car coverage
The recent ‘The Olympic challenge' feature in Post emphasised the raft of opportunities for the insurance industry when it comes to the various possible disruption triggers, such as the weather.
Allianz motor engineer first female appointed to council
A female motor engineer from Allianz’s claims division has become the first woman ever to be appointed to the Institute of Automotive Engineer Assessors Council.