SME
Aviva trains sights on specialty lines
Aviva's new chief underwriting officer Axel Schmidt has revealed a wide-ranging plan to broaden its risk appetite by concentrating on areas it is currently under strength in, including local authority insurance.
Giles takes over Hampden
Giles Insurance Brokers has acquired the retail broking division of James Hampden Insurance Brokers.
Giles Insurance Brokers in Midlands swoop
Giles Insurance Brokers has acquired the retail broking division of James Hampden Insurance Brokers.
Heath Lambert merges personal and small business divisions
Broker Heath Lambert has combined its commercial affinity and small business division with its personal lines unit, Heath Lambert Insurance Services, aiming to double its size by 2012.
Allianz commercial joins Power Place panel
Allianz commercial has joined the Power Place panel and its commercial combined product for SME business will be available on the platform later this year.
Groupama launches online PI offering
Groupama will target business from the major professional indemnity insurers after launching its first standalone PI product aimed at small to medium-sized enterprise businesses.
Performance - Shareholder returns: Cut to the core
Jonathan Hughes examines the findings of recent analysis of insurer shareholder returns and finds that big is not necessarily better.
Clear opens City office after F&L acquisition
Clear Insurance Management has opened a new office in the City of London as part of its growth plans.
BIBA 2010: Open GI launches online quote and buy for SMEs
Open GI has launched Ebroker for Open Trader, a new online quote and buy solution the firm claims will enable brokers to sell SME products to clients via the web.
Regional review - Birmingham: Banging the drum for Brum
With a number of new entrants over the past 18 months, Birmingham looks a lively place to do business. Leigh Jackson reports on the upsurge of activity for the city.
Interview - Ben Wright: Property boom
Despite the recession, Keelan Westall's head Ben Wright tells Mairi MacDonald the business has ambitious expansion plans.
RSA unveils launches to regain SME ground
RSA is to launch more commercial products in its bid to become a top-five player in the SME market.
Coverzones boss vows it will come back "within months"
Coverzones chief executive Simon Ball has vowed the online commercial aggregator will make a profitable return to the SME market within months.
Commercial insurance on aggregator radar
A report by Defaqto has revealed 65% of the top 20 financial price comparison websites already provide access to business insurance either as introducers to various online providers or by providing quotations through a limited panel of insurers.
Coverzones bought out of administration
The assets of online commercial aggregator Coverzones have been bought out of administration by the management team backed by a private investor.
Broker support: Personal services
Networks, managing general agents and other partnerships continue to find plentiful support from brokers and insurers alike. Ana Paula Nacif looks at why.
Round table - E-trading: Progress through technology
Technology plays an important role in delivering products efficiently and in a more economic fashion. A panel of experts debate why take up of e-trading has, therefore, been so slow in commercial lines. Amy Ellis reports.
FSB welcomes Con-Lib pact plans on CGT and personal tax
Business leaders have welcomed the agreement between the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties to form the next Government.
Biba 2010 countdown: Heartland of the business
As the final days of countdown to the 2010 Biba conference begin, participating claims and insurer professionals reveal the part they hope to play in proceedings.
Commission options: Getting your money's worth
To exist in today's market conditions, brokers must continue to focus on the remuneration they receive from insurers. Jane Bernstein looks at the options.
Co-op offers claims service
Co-operative Legal Services is to target small and medium-sized brokers with its first outsourcing product.
Brokers targeted in £8m SME new business drive
Following the launch of its large corporate private medical insurance offering last May, National Friendly is set to take on the traditional cash plan market while setting its sights on expansion into long-term care.
Interview - Alex Alway: A real sense of community
Jelf chief executive Alex Alway speaks to Stephanie Denton about market speculation, Quinn, consolidation and why he still has a lot to learn about insurance.
Aviva boss hails Q1 results as sign of revival
Aviva's UK general insurance boss has hailed its quarter one results as a sign the business has turned a corner.