Opinion
Agenda: Hopes for the New Year
Ten years have passed since the dawn of the new millennium. The predictions of economic meltdown because of the millennium bug were false but we have seen crises that have had enormous impact on the global economy: 9/11, the crash of the dot-com bubble…
Your opinions: Consumer Credit Directive reaction
Insurance Age welcomes your opinions via email, Linked In, the Broker Forum, Twitter and good old fashioned letters.
Reportage - CPD requirements: Under development
No one seems to disagree with the principle of CPD, but why hasn't it proved effective so far in the broking profession? Liz McMahon reports.
Editor's comment - December 2010
As our front page shows, the prospect of mandatory commission disclosure appears to be receding. I'm not a broker so I can't really make any truly informed comment on the rights or wrongs of this. However, I'm a journalist and, by extension, nosey.
Polly C - the hottest insurance gossip
Hearing the term restrictive covenant in the bars and restaurants surrounding Leadenhall Street will always make a broker sit up and listen and Polly is no different.
Management clinic - Bonuses: Rewarding behaviour
Finances at my firm are difficult, which has led to my outlining to employees that they will not receive Christmas bonuses this year. How can I go about keeping them motivated and, most importantly, productive through this busy time?
Viewpoint: Justice for all will disappear
It is all too easy to point at the manner of Lord Young's recent departure from government as the Prime Minister's enterprise adviser to suggest that he was out of touch with the real world. Some commentators had already made the observation back in…
Editor's comment: Pulling together on flooding
The cost of damage caused by flooding has risen 200% over the last decade, giving insurers a nightmare to consider for the future.
Legal - IMD2: Mediation directive is up for grabs
The Insurance Mediation Directive is set to be superseded. James MacNish Porter says now is the time to give the EU your input.
Editor's comment: Regional gloom with some optimism
The Spending Review dominated October, the speculation leading up to George Osborne's announcement in parliament giving way to analysis of how hard and where exactly the Chancellor's axe will fall on public spending.
Management Clinic - Due Diligence: What's in the box?
We have the opportunity to make our first acquisition of any size and it looks like a good fit. How can we be sure of what we are buying?
Management Clinic - Employee procedures: Off the leash
An employee has completed a deal for a partnership with another company without consulting the relevant internal parties or gaining my permission as the managing director. How should I go about disciplining the employee in question, keeping in mind the…
Editor's comment - November 2010
Brokers love a bit of commission don't they? And why not? They work hard and put up with a lot of hassle and jumping through insurer hoops to get it. It's how the market is geared to remunerate brokers, but outsiders have always looked upon the structure…
Editor's comment: Commercial rates still not good enough
As revealed in our latest Sentiment Survey, there is still a considerable problem in the commercial market when it comes to rate strengthening.
Viewpoint: Loyalty rides on every claim
Jonathan Hughes gives his views on claims
Management Clinic: Fending off invaders
A rival has offered one of my employees a very appealing contract and has offered to buy out the rest of their contract with my business. The employee is a vital member of my team: how can I change their terms quickly?
Polly C
Polly loves a little bit of controversy, especially when it comes from an unexpected source, so she was 'all ears' when Phil Bunker, MD of LV Broker, let rip on rival Aviva.
Product review: PI for growing communications sector
Product Technology and communications sector professional indemnity cover.
Reportage - insurer service: Less is more
Insurers have shunned small partnerships in favour of big business, but this may have been an error of judgement. Jonathan Davey uncovers why smaller brokers may have more to offer.
Opinion: Editor's comment
We're all fully aware the Financial Services Authority (FSA) is getting tough. Both the trade press and the business pages of the national press are full of stories about the regulator fining and banning financial services practitioners. And this is very…
Agenda: Do big insurance mergers work?
RSA's unwelcome bid for Aviva raises many issues but the main one is whether mergers between large insurance companies work in the long term.
Your letters
From the Broker Forum, September http://forum.broking.co.uk