Insurer
Products: B&Bs can rest easy with bespoke product
Bridge Insurance brokers has teamed up with Brit Insurance to launch Hospitality, an insurance scheme focused on boutique bed and breakfast businesses.
Are you ready for the next big thing in motor?
Telematics could transform motor insurance, and brokers who already have a foot in the market could cash in
Review: Living the high life
Aqua: three: This product has been reviewed by brokers and rated from one to five stars, based on the policy’s key benefits. * = Poor ** = Average *** = Good **** = Very good ***** = Excellent
Products: Axa makes products available on Powerplace
Axa has made two of its products available to Powerplace users in the last month: a new property owners/landlords policy and its management liability policy.
Products roundup: A little bit of everything
It’s a bit of a mixed bag this month but the old cliché tells us that variety is the spice of life – we’re not sure how spicy the products and schemes are but there should be something for everyone.
Aviva gears up for Irish branch sale
Aviva has set Friday 2 March as the deadline for first-round offers for its 26 Irish branches.
Kiln receives top rating for employee happiness
Lloyd's insurer Kiln has been made it on to the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For 2012 list.
Towergate increases South Western presence with acquisitions
Towergate Insurance has acquired Centenary Insurance and William Rogers Insurance Brokers.
Brit profits fall and drag COR with them
Brit has announced falls in gross written premiums (GWP) and pre-tax profits along with a worsening combined operating ratio (COR) in its results for 2011.
Keychoice improves membership package
Keychoice has added five new benefits to its membership package as the firm tries to gain increased leverage in the network sector.
Financial strength rating a priority when brokers assess insurers
Brokers are placing much greater emphasis on the credit ratings of the insurers they deal with, according to a recent survey by NIG.
Oval strikes exclusive deal with St Helens RFC
Oval has been appointed as the sole insurance and risk management provider by St Helens RFC (Saints) for its new stadium at Langtree Park.
Quinn seeks to defend himself against Anglo Irish claims
Seán Quinn has told the Commercial Court in Dublin he wishes to personally defend the former Anglo Irish Bank’s claim that he has a liability for loans of €2.34bn (£1.98bn).
FOS reveals PPI complaints halved in H2 2011
The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) received a total of 106,193 complaints between 1 July and 31 December 2011, and figures show that Barclays Bank was by far the biggest culprit in terms of payment protection insurance (PPI) complaints.
RSA receives rating upgrade from S&P
RSA Group has had its second piece of good ratings news in as many weeks with Standard & Poor’s (S&P) upgrading the insurer to A+ Stable.
Allianz chief sees room for underwriting improvement despite good results
Allianz UK CEO, Andrew Torrance, has conceded that the insurer’s underwriting performance is not good enough despite recording top line and profit growth and producing an overall combined operating ratio (COR) of 95.7% and a commercial one of 94%.
O’Roarke reveals targets for 2012
John O’Roarke, managing director of LV general insurance, has revealed the insurer is targeting an increase in profit of at least 20% in 2012.
Direct Line subsidiary awarded 'A' credit rating
UK Insurance, the main operating insurance subsidiary of Direct Line Insurance Group (DLG), has been assigned an ‘A’ financial strength and counterparty credit rating by Standard & Poor’s (S&P).
Allianz UK sees growth across the board
Allianz UK has revealed increased gross written premium, higher operating profits and an improved combined operating ratio in its 2011 results.
LV doubles insurance profits as COR improves
LV has reported a doubling in general insurance profits before tax to £70m in 2011 from £35m the previous year.
Bids for Groupama due in tomorrow
Bids for Groupama’s UK business are close to being tabled with Zurich, Axa and Allianz all in the frame according to reports.
Hiscox remains in profit despite cat losses as chairman steps down
Hiscox has reported a pre-tax profit of £17.3m for 2011, down from £211.4m the previous year, as the company’s chairman Robert Hiscox announced his intention to step down.
Chartis turns from loss to profit
American International Group (AIG) has revealed that subsidiary insurer Chartis, the general insurance arm of the global business, made an operating profit of $1.12bn (£709m) in 2011 reversing its loss of $1.07bn the previous year.
Credit card insurer faces multi million pound bill over sales process
The credit card insurer CPP, which has been under investigation from the Financial Services Authority (FSA) for the past year, could face a £15m bill as part of a committment to review past sales.