Zurich UK Life is highlighting the advantages of critical illness cover for children today, which is also International Child Cancer day. The insurance industry has paid out millions to adults suffering from cancer, yet there is relatively little attention paid to the impact on families with children who suffer the illness. According to the ONS [...]
Ratings agency Defaqto has warned against undervaluing the contents of a wardrobe, with women’s wardrobes worth an average of £7,000. The warning comes as London Fashion week gets underway, and is aimed at women who may be undervaluing their wardrobes and thus exposing themselves to under-insurance. The firm’s research indicates that most women value their [...]
Insurance broker and risk adviser Marsh has reported that the worldwide insurance market remained stable in the latter half of 2009, despite the global recession. This permitted numerous organisations throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) to take advantage of reduced prices or bolstered insurance protection. The report, Competition Nets Rewards – EMEA Insurance [...]
According to research, 87% of motor insurance claimants found their service to be satisfactory and 84% considered their expectations to have been met or exceeded at the claim’s conclusion. The GIMRA (General Insurance Market Research within Aura) Motor Claims Survey, conducted with customers of 15 of the country’s motor leading insurers (including Fortis), involved 2,800 [...]
Dawn Dillaway has been appointed by Groupama Insurances to occupy the new post of head of Commercial Underwriting. She will report directly to Commercial Lines Director Malcolm Smith, and joins Groupama from Arista, where she worked as regional underwriting manager. Dillaway has worked in the sector for more than two decades, and in addition to [...]
International general insurance and reinsurance group Brit Insurance has announced the appointment of Ian Powell to the role of chief information officer. He brings decades of experience of managing information and technology within the financial sector to Brit. He leave behind BlackRock, previously Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, where he latterly served as head of Technology [...]
The Insurance Partnership (TIP) is expanding its presence in West Yorkshire and looking to recruit experienced corporate account executives and corporate account handlers for a new office in Leeds. Earlier this month, the firm opened its first office in Scotland – based in Dalkeith and headed by Scott Davidson who has worked for the firm [...]
Romantics who chose Valentine’s day to propose marriage are being urged to check whether the engagement rings handed over to prospective spouses are insured. According to Defaqto, the average British male spends £1,800 on an engagement ring, a sum that may be above the single specified item cover provided on a home insurance policy. In [...]
Moneysupermarket.com has revamped its car insurance price comparison service to make it more user friendly. The website said the updates make its price comparison service the fastest and most accurate available in the UK. Visitors to moneysupermarket.com can now get up to 120 car insurance quotes in under three minutes. A new look results page [...]
The Kwik-Fit motor repair group is reported to be considering selling its insurance business, which includes Kwik-Fit Insurance, the Green Insurance Company and Express Insurance. According to The Sunday Times, the company, which is backed by French private equity firm PAI, may raise over £200 million from a sale that would be aimed at reducing [...]
Leading provider of analytics and decision management technology FICO has announced that its client Highmark, Inc. has been included in the Celent Model Insurer 2010 Report, which recognises exemplary, results-producing technology initiatives in the insurance industry. Highmark utilised the FICO™ Insurance Fraud Manager to automatically detect fraud, abuse and errors in its group health insurance [...]
Giles Insurance Brokers has announced it is establishing Giles Corporate & Financial Risks Division in the City, following the BrightStar Risk Solutions team joining the firm. The entire BrightStar team joins Giles with immediate effect and will be based at the new Birchin Lane office, bringing with them their sixty existing clients and continuing to [...]
With Valentine’s Day approaching, Direct Travel Insurance has urged couples going away for a brief break to ensure they have adequate insurance coverage. Lack of insurance will leave couples exposed to a financial hit if they should suffer an accident, detracting from a holiday intended to be romantic. This time last year, the average claim [...]
Lloyds Banking Group has announced the sale of its 70% holding in online insurer, esure, for a little over £185 million. The stake is being acquired by a management buyout vehicle to be called esure Group Holdings Ltd, led by esure chairman, Peter Wood. Mr Wood is best known for pioneering the direct selling of [...]
Zurich UK Life has launched a new guide to help advisers explain its protection plans to their customers. “Here to help at every step” aims to ensure the correct level of cover is provided and that claims are paid out swiftly. The guide covers application and underwriting processes, emphasising the importance of disclosing accurate personal [...]
ALC Health has announced a brace of appointments, with Dr Charlie Easmon occupying the new post of medical director and Andrew Lindley becoming client services assistant. Dr Easmon, who will take up his new role with immediate effect, will provide advice to the firm regarding medical issues that affect the business and its customers. Lindley [...]
Capita Insurance Distribution has announced that the MD of its pet insurance arm Thornside, David Seel, has been appointed to the post of chairman of the Association of British Insurers’ (ABI) Pet Insurance Committee. He brings extensive experience to the post, beginning his career as a director with Hogg Robinson Limited (London) before a long [...]
Hiscox, the specialist insurer, has commissioned research revealing that couples planning to marry could leave themselves exposed to underinsurance. Professional couples now spend, on average, over £2,600 on engagement and wedding rings with 10% spending in excess of £5,000 on rings. Despite this hefty investment, a substantial minority (28%) do not consider insurance regarding their [...]
PartnerRe Ltd. has reported its financial results for Q4 and 2009. For the quarter, the firm achieved net profits of $354.4m, equating to $4.25 per share, on a fully diluted basis. This is almost fourfold the $95.3m net income achieved in Q4 2008, although it does mark a decline from Q3 2009, when net income [...]
