Latest: Business Insurance News

UK disturbances unlikely to be declared “Riot”

Crawford & Company is warning that the UK’s recent civil disturbances are unlikely to be expressly declared a “Riot” by the police, irrespective of media coverage and references to the same. However, claims under the Riot Damages Act 1886 must be received by the local police authority within 14 days of an alleged incident, and [...]

August 10, 2011 | 0 Comments More

Questgates warns on riot claims time limits

Questgates is warning that insurance claims resulting from recent riotous behavior could be invalidated by the slightest of delays. According to the claims management firm, local police authorities have a legal responsibility to reimburse persons who sustain damage to property as the result of a riot under the Riot Damages Act 1886. However, any claim [...]

August 9, 2011 | 0 Comments More

ABI on London riots

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has expressed its sympathy for residents and business owners who have suffered damage to their properties in the London riots. The Association’s director of general insurance and health, Nick Starling, says: “This is a time of enormous stress for them and their insurers will be on hand to answer [...]

August 9, 2011 | 0 Comments More

Hospitality and leisure attract cyber attacks

The vast quantities of personal, identifiable information collected by the leisure and hospitality industry have made the sector a chief target for cyber attacks, according to Willis. The broker’s cyber risk unit reports a 56% rise in cyber claims over the past year, with an increasing proportion of victims in the hospitality industry. Willis warns [...]

August 3, 2011 | 0 Comments More

JLT sheds light on real estate legal indemnity market

JLT Specialty has launched a real estate legal indemnity insurance guide, having experienced a rise in enquiries on the topic in recent months. Legal indemnity insurance is traditionally handled by a lawyer direct with an insurer, with little in the way of any price or coverage comparison. However, JLT points out that increasing demands of [...]

August 1, 2011 | 0 Comments More

Friends Life relaunches group protection proposition

Friends Life has relaunched its group protection proposition. The new offering includes group life, group income protection, group critical illness and a flexible benefit offering supported by a range of added-value services aimed at promoting health. These include an employer/employee assistance programme, Best Doctors and a 24-hour seven-day-a-week health information service, provided by Bupa HealthLine. [...]

July 29, 2011 | 0 Comments More

Allianz and Sarmap develop new crop insurance technology

Allianz Re’s agriculture team is developing a new approach to crop insurance in cooperation with software company, Sarmap, which specialises in technology used for managing natural resources. The two are working on radar-based remote sensing software that can allow biomass growth to be monitored and the potential yield of agricultural areas to be measured. Compared [...]

July 28, 2011 | 0 Comments More

Groupama expands “Exclusively” SME range

Groupama Insurances has unveiled the latest addition to its specialist commercial product range, with the launch of Exclusively Security. According to the insurer, the new product will create fresh opportunities for brokers targeting businesses in the security market, including manned security guarding, CCTV and alarm installation, and fire extinguisher supply and maintenance. Groupama has plans [...]

July 27, 2011 | 0 Comments More

Kiln launches Singapore-based aviation team

Kiln has launched a new team to underwrite aviation risks in Singapore. Led by underwriter Brendan Warner, the unit will focus on a broad range of aviation risks across the Asia-Pacific region, including: regional airline, general aviation, products & airport liability, hull war, hull deductible and excess liability. Mr Warner, who has 33 years’ experience [...]

July 26, 2011 | 0 Comments More

AXA trading on PowerPlace

AXA Commercial Lines has launched its tradesmen and professional liability products on PowerPlace, the online commercial insurance marketplace. Policies are available to the self-employed and small businesses of up to eight persons with a turnover of £500,000 or less. Public liability and temporary staff cover (for up to 50 man days in any period of [...]

July 26, 2011 | 0 Comments More

Ageas and Cardinus strike risk management deal

Ageas has partnered with risk management specialists, Cardinus, to provide a package of online risk management solutions for its commercial policyholders and brokers. As part of the deal, all commercial policyholders who take up or renew an Ageas policy are eligible for a £100 voucher that can be redeemed against Cardinus’ risk assessment or e-learning [...]

July 23, 2011 | 0 Comments More

Aon appoints Singapore-based head broker

Aon Risk Solutions has appointed Nicki Tilney as head broker of construction, power and infrastructure at its global broking centre in Singapore. The centre is one of Aon’s hubs around the world for insurance placement and allows clients access to insurance markets outside their immediate geography. Ms Tilney, who has over 20 years of experience [...]

July 23, 2011 | 0 Comments More

Lloyd’s and Aon team with bedbug offering

Lloyd’s underwriters have teamed up with insurance broker Aon and Global Excess Partners, an innovator in new insurance products, to develop a comprehensive bedbug insurance solution for travellers and the hospitality industry. According to Lloyd’s, bedbug infestations are on the rise, causing hotel owners, landlords and businesses major problems. High levels of infestation have been [...]

July 23, 2011 | 0 Comments More

Commercial space sector boost expected

The end of the US space shuttle programme could boost the commercial space sector, providing extra business for insurers, according to Simon Clapham, space underwriter at Liberty Syndicates. Few space shuttle payloads have been insured since the Challenger disaster in 1986, after which commercial cargo was no longer transported on the shuttle. However, Lloyd’s underwriters [...]

July 22, 2011 | 0 Comments More

JLT on the benefits of non-damage business interruption cover

JLT Specialty says it is receiving growing interest in its EPIC (Earnings and Product Integrity Cover) product. The non-damage business interruption policy has been developed by Life Science industry experts to mitigate the financial impact of a range of risks. According to the broker, these risks can significantly damage company revenue streams and market share [...]

July 21, 2011 | 0 Comments More

Insurers play fair with black and minority ethnic law firms

The Law Society has reported that more firms had difficulty renewing their professional indemnity insurance (PII) in 2010 than a year earlier, and more reported an increase in premiums. The Society’s research reveals that 63.5% reported no renewal difficulties in 2010, compared to a trouble free 79% in 2009, while 69.3% experienced a premium increase, [...]

July 20, 2011 | 0 Comments More

Chartis launches environmental liability training

Chartis Insurance UK has launched online training in environmental exposures for brokers, accredited by the Chartered Insurance Institute. Five modules are available to help firms navigate their clients through the complexities of this relatively new market, while staff gain professional credits According to Chartis, environmental insurance is a rapidly growing sector which is under-served and [...]

July 9, 2011 | 0 Comments More

Opportunities for insurers as EU Data Protection Directive looms

Lloyd’s is warning that new EU data protection laws could have costly repercussions for businesses. A final draft of the new Data Protection Directive is expected from Brussels by the end of the year and according to Lloyd’s, a recent spate of serious hacker attacks has added impetus to the overhaul of existing 15-year-old data [...]

July 5, 2011 | 0 Comments More

Aviva revamps group personal accident offering

Aviva has revamped “People and Places”, its group personal accident (GPA), sickness and business travel policy, as it looks to grow business in this area. New extensions including closure of airspace, kidnap and ransom cover, nuclear, chemical and biological cover, war cover outside the policyholder’s country of domicile, cover for rehabilitation expenses, search and rescue, [...]

July 2, 2011 | 0 Comments More

Bancassurance “core part” of revitalised Lloyds proposition

Lloyds Banking Group says it intends to make bancassurance a core part of its proposition, and will therefore be building specialised advisor teams to better address customers’ needs. The part taxpayer-owned bank has today announced the results of a strategic review that will cost 15,000 jobs worldwide and result in £1.5 billion of annual savings [...]

June 30, 2011 | 0 Comments More