London tops “Cities of Opportunity” rankings
by Gill Montia
Story link: London tops “Cities of Opportunity” rankings
London and New York have taken joint top place in the “Cities of Opportunity” ratings compiled by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). In spite of continuing economic challenges, London emerged as a city with “economic clout, ease of doing business and attraction as an international gateway”. The survey examined the social and economic performance of 27 of the [...]
Aon shareholders approve London move
by Gill Montia
Story link: Aon shareholders approve London move
Aon has secured shareholder approval for the relocation of its Chicago headquarters to London. Ninety-eight percent of votes cast were in favour of the move, representing over 82% of the total outstanding voting stock of Aon Corporation. In January, Aon outlined plans to establish a corporate headquarters in London so as to have greater access [...]
London’s uninsured vehicles seized
by Gill Montia
Story link: London’s uninsured vehicles seized
Following a major operation last week targeting London’s uninsured drivers, the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) says it has taken the highest number of calls to its dedicated police helpline since the line was set up in 2007. The calls contributed to 558 vehicle seizures and 76 arrests across the capital in one day. Metropolitan Police [...]
Aon names future London HQ
by Gill Montia
Story link: Aon names future London HQ
Aon has chosen the Leadenhall Building as its future London headquarters. Dubbed the Cheese Grater and situated opposite Lloyd’s of London on Leadenhall Street EC2, the building will stand 224 metres tall when completed in mid-2014. The deal has been agreed with British Land and Oxford Properties and Aon expects to occupy the lower ten [...]
Friends Provident relocates ahead of relaunch
by Gill Montia
Story link: Friends Provident relocates ahead of relaunch
Friends Provident is relocating its head office to the One New Change development in the City of London, moving from nearby Wood Street. The location will apparently provide a “fitting home” for the enlarged Friends, following the acquisition of the majority of AXA’s UK life business by parent company, Resolution Ltd, in September. The change, [...]
QBE strengthens UK trade credit team
by Gill Montia
Story link: QBE strengthens UK trade credit team
QBE has made three new appointments within its trade credit team. Kathryn Forde joins as commercial underwriter for the North of England, and Floyd Woolley as underwriting assistant, moving from the group’s general insurance side. Ms Forde has most recently been working in the recruitment sector, but previously spent a number of years at Euler [...]
Groupama launches business underwriting team
by Gill Montia
Story link: Groupama launches business underwriting team
Groupama Insurances has created a dedicated business underwriting team for London and the South. Three underwriters have been appointed: Therese Crowhurst, Steve Scrimgeour and Darren Carter, and all are reporting to Dawn Dillaway, the group’s head of commercial underwriting. Therese Crowhurst and Steve Scrimgeour will focus on non-motor SME commercial business, having worked for Groupama [...]
AXA Insurance builds mid-corporate risks team
by Gill Montia
Story link: AXA Insurance builds mid-corporate risks team
AXA Insurance has appointed Martin Eyres as head of mid-corporate risks, with responsibility for driving the profitable growth of the insurer’s mid-corporate offering. The specialist appointment is the firm’s fourth in recent months, as it continues to build capability to accommodate larger risks. Having taken up his post on 1st September, Mr Eyres is now [...]
Top home insurance theft claim postcodes revealed
by Gill Montia
Story link: Top home insurance theft claim postcodes revealed
Research carried out by moneysupermarket.com has identified the top 20 hotspots for home insurance claims for theft. While London households are the most likely to make a theft-related claim, with postcodes in the Capital taking half of the top 20 places, a Manchester postcode holds the top spot for the highest number of theft claims. [...]
Chartis’ European restructure opts for London HQ
by Gill Montia
Story link: Chartis’ European restructure opts for London HQ
Chartis has announced that the headquarters for its European Economic Area and Swiss operations will be based in London. The group is undertaking a restructure that will bring its European operations together under one regional management team, in a move that affects the following European domiciled insurance companies: Chartis Insurance UK Limited, Chartis Insurance Ireland [...]
XL Insurance expands professional lines team
by Gill Montia
Story link: XL Insurance expands professional lines team
XL Insurance has announced the appointment of two financial institutions underwriters to its London-based professional lines team. Senior underwriters Gerard Bloom and Neale Stevenson will offer specialist professional liability coverage for financial institutions such as hedge funds, asset managers and banks. Mr Bloom moves from Zenith to head the new team, bringing to bear more [...]
Groupama relocates London headquarters
by Gill Montia
Story link: Groupama relocates London headquarters
Groupama is relocating its London headquarters on 16th November when it is leaving offices at Minories (where the lease is due to expire) to take up new premises in nearby America Square. The French insurer says the move will increase operational efficiencies as it is effectively scaling down its presence in the City and increasing [...]
Barbon Property & Commercial opens City office
by Gill Montia
Story link: Barbon Property & Commercial opens City office
Barbon Insurance Group has announced that its Property & Commercial division has opened a London office. The group’s central sales team will be based at the St Mary Axe facility, which could ultimately become a Centre of Excellence. Nick Sharp, managing director of the division, comments: “The new City location reaffirms our commitment to growth [...]
Towers Perrin expands US property reinsurance team
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Towers Perrin expands US property reinsurance team
Towers Perrin has enhanced its presence in the US property reinsurance market with the appointment of Derek Keating as executive director within the London reinsurance brokerage business. He leaves behind Aon Benfield, where he has worked for 14 years, to join Towers Perrin. Most recently Keating served as a member of Aon Benfield’s North American [...]
Jewellers £40m snatched gems insured by Willis
by David Masters
Story link: Jewellers £40m snatched gems insured by Willis
The jewellers targeted in Britain’s biggest ever jewellery heist is believed to be insured by Willis, Insurance Times reports. The raid by two armed gunmen, who entered the London store dressed smartly in suits, was the second biggest robbery in British history, topped only by the £53 million raid on a Securitas depot in Kent [...]
MORE TH>N names London bike theft capital
by Gill Montia
Story link: MORE TH>N names London bike theft capital
MORE TH>N has been carrying out city centre research aimed at making cyclists more aware of security. In its “bike snatch” experiment, which involved unsecured bicycles left in high footfall locations, the insurer found the inhabitants of Liverpool to be the most trustworthy followed by the residents of Bristol. A cycle left in Liverpool city [...]
Alan Gray opens London office and appoints European director
by Gill Montia
Story link: Alan Gray opens London office and appoints European director
Alan Gray, Inc. has set up London offices that will serve as a headquarters for European expansion. The US claims audit company has also appointed Julian Ward, a former chief executive officer of JTW Reinsurance Consultants, as its director of European operations. Mr Ward’s initial task is to build on Alan Gray’s presence and reputation [...]
Marsh selected by UK Athletics
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Marsh selected by UK Athletics
UKA, the National Governing Body for athletics in the UK, has appointed insurance broker and risk adviser Marsh to manage the UKA’s insurance and risk programmes. In this capacity Marsh will undertake a comprehensive assessment of the key risks for UKA and its membership and in response craft appropriate insurance coverage. Adrian Willmott, Marsh’s regional [...]
London aims to be global insurance leader
by David Masters
Story link: London aims to be global insurance leader
The Market Reform Group (MRG) plans to make London the ‘market of choice’ for global insurance. MRG, which sets priorities for London’s insurance industry, said it is implementing plans for a major ‘growth spurt’ that will cement London as the home of the international insurance market. The three year plan, starting 2009, includes full use [...]
Lloyd’s receives licence to operate in Guernsey
by David Masters
Story link: Lloyd’s receives licence to operate in Guernsey
Lloyd’s of London has been granted a licence to write direct insurance business in Guernsey. The licence allows Lloyd’s underwriters to establish service companies on the Channel Island, and to write business locally through cover holders and managing agents. Previously Lloyd’s insurers were only permitted to write insurance business in Guernsey as ‘recognised insurers’, working [...]
