Kwik Fit Insurance is recruiting new staff at its Lanarkshire headquarters, where it expects to employ over 1,000 by the turn of the year. The insurance intermediary will be filling 84 new posts between now and January 2010 and local jobseekers are invited to a recruitment day on Saturday 31st October between 11.00 am and [...]
Standard Life is believed to have asked advisers to review its Canadian business with a view to a sale, The Independent has reported. Such a move would have come only days after the Edinburgh-based insurer announced that David Nish is to succeed Sir Sandy Crombie as group chief executive officer, effective from 1st January. The [...]
Legal & General (L&G) is reported to be talking to Lloyds Banking Group regarding the sale of UK property assets that have seen spectacular falls in value during the credit crisis. Earlier this month, the group announced that its L&G Property unit had completed over £110 million of acquisitions as part of a major investment [...]
Open GI has entered into a three-year agreement with Close Premium Finance (CPF), a provider of electronic premium finance software with over 2,500 customers in the UK and Ireland. Electronic premium finance enables brokers to increase earnings and save costs by delivering a point of sale service than includes a reconciliation facility. According to Open [...]
Over 50s insurer staysure.co.uk has enhanced its offering with the creation of a new service aimed at improving the options of those with pre-existing medical conditions. The firm has launched a comprehensive new product which covers a large number of minor pre-existing conditions free of charge. Staysure.co.uk’s medical screening programme will also offer those with [...]
The European Court of Justice has ruled that VAT is now payable on reinsurance contracts, in a reversal of standard industry practice. It raises fears that those selling reinsurance and insurance will suffer damage to cash flow in light of the ruling, made on a case involving Swiss Re. The case related the sale of [...]
Heath Lambert has announced that it is bolstering its corporate division with the hiring of Judy Baker to lead the division. Baker leaves behind Bluefin Insurance to join Heath Lambert, and brings with her a combination of a strong track record and decades of experience in the corporate sector. She began her career with Sun [...]
Aviva has announced the appointment of Patrick Regan as chief financial officer, replacing Philip Scott who steps down at the end of the year after a 36-year career with the group. Mr Regan will take up his post during February 2010 when he will also join the group board. He is moving from Willis Group [...]
The AA’s car insurance premium index shows average premiums increasing 14% in the past year. In the last quarter alone, typical premiums surged 5.6%, rising at their fastest rate since the AA began keeping records 15 years ago. Motorists who shop around can expect to pay £522 on average for fully-comprehensive cover, whereas those who [...]
As winter approaches and the thoughts of some travellers drift towards booking skiing and snowboarding holidays, Direct Travel Insurance has advised travellers to consider carefully when browsing for insurance. Given the combination of cold weather, high speeds and competitiveness the insurer advocates ensuring travellers are covered for Search and Mountain Rescue, as well as helicopter [...]
A man appearing before Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court has been jailed for four-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to involvement in a £1.6 million “crash for cash” conspiracy. Mohammed Patel pleaded guilty to 17 charges, including conspiracy to defraud, dangerous driving and disqualified driving. Between 2005 and 2008, he staged at least 93 motor vehicle [...]
Zurich Insurance plc has announced that it has written to around 51,000 general insurance customers and other parties in the UK regarding the loss of a back-up data tape in South Africa. The tape, which also holds details of customers and other parties in South Africa and Botswana, was lost in August 2008 during a [...]
Rumours of a romantic affair between the chief executive of Aviva and a junior employee have resulted in the group’s chairman, Lord Sharman, speaking to The Times. Chief executive, Andrew Moss, reportedly arranged for the member of staff with whom he is linked to be seconded to his office and his reputation has been put [...]
Ironshore Inc. has been given the green light to write direct and facultative property business on behalf of its Pembroke Lloyd’s Syndicate. The team will underwrite a broad range of property risks, with an emphasis on international business. Rod Todd has been named as the head of the Lloyd’s Property Operation, and joined Ironshore two [...]
Global insurer Zurich Financial Services Group has won the Direct Marketing Association’s (DMA) Marketer of the Year Award. The award is given to a firm or individual who has combined corporate and environmental responsibility with a direct contribution towards marketing excellence during the course of the last year. Zurich’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Arun [...]
Cooper Gay has announced that it has acquired a majority shareholding in Reinsurance.com.ar, a specialist reinsurance broker with offices in Miami and Buenos Aires. The firm, which focuses on the Latin American treaty and facultative reinsurance market, was established in 2006 by Guillermo Pastore who will be retaining his post as chief executive officer following [...]
US financial services giant, GMAC Inc, is proposing to sell its property and casualty insurance business to American Capital Acquisition. The transaction is pending regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions. The group says its dealer-related insurance business (which includes extended service contracts and insurance for auto dealer inventories) is not affected by the move. [...]
HomeServe has announced the proposed closure of its HomeServe Property Repair and Anglia businesses. The company, which specialises in emergency cover and repairs for homeowners, has been pushed into operating losses by falling retention rates, while at the same time being deserted by a major client. However, its core membership operations will not be impacted [...]
Towergate Partnership has strengthened its presence in the North East with the acquisition of Rixon Matthews Appleyard Ltd. The Hull-based firm, which employs 25 staff, will complement the group’s existing broking operations in the city. Rixon Matthews Appleyard has been trading for over 40 years ago and controls premiums of £10 million. The firm has [...]
Aon has announced the appointment of John Bayeux to the role of managing director of Aon Risk Services. Bayeux brings with him decades of industry experience and during his lengthy career in financial services has operated as both a risk manager and insurance broker. Before joining Aon in August he worked for Willis as an [...]
