Directors & officers' (D&O)
Aviva revamps financial lines management and pushes into Scotland
Aviva has announced several new hires in its financial lines team, including underwriters that expand its presence into Scotland.
Zurich ‘on the defence’ in shifting commercial lines market
Frank Streidl, UK head of commercial insurance at Zurich, has said the insurer has had to “go on the defence” as competitors look to reshape and retool their commercial lines businesses.
Failure to prevent insurance fraud is now a crime
Kennedy’s partners Hannah Williams and Iskander Fernandez explains how the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act's ‘failure to prevent’ offence will be a game-changer for directors and officers insurers.
Zurich warns of US-style litigation developments in Europe
Zurich has warned that, as a result of incoming EU regulation, Europe could soon become more of a litigation environment, akin to that which exists in the US.
Lloyd’s D&O book expected to shrink
Directors’ and officers’ insurance is set to contract as a class of business at Lloyd’s next year, as the market keeps up its strong messaging on what it expects of underwriters.
Government to launch Martyn’s Law consultation after Christmas
The government will launch a consultation on proposed counterterrorism measures that smaller premises will have to take as soon as possible, according to a Home Office official.
Gallagher Re warns of climate litigation risk to liability books
Liability insurers must take of the rising tide of climate litigation, which could present a massive – albeit uncertain – exposure to multiple portfolios, Gallagher Re has warned.
Lloyd’s chief takes aim at ‘moronic’ D&O underwriting
Lloyd’s chief of markets Patrick Tiernan has said he does not want to be forced to remediate a “shambolic” directors' and officers' insurance market, and instead expects to see a “voluntary pullback” from underwriting that has caused concern among market…
View from the top: MS Amlin’s Martin Burke on the future of underwriting
Martin Burke, director of underwriting performance at MS Amlin, reflects on the market in 2023 and outlines the three considerations that will define how the future generation of underwriters supports clients and brokers through economically challenging…
D&O insurers could favour long-term agreements in search of pricing stability
Insurers and buyers of directors and officers’ insurance could look to strike long-term agreements to lock in current rates, as both search for pricing stability.
Is litigation liability insurance now essential for executives?
As periods of financial distress can often lead to increased instances of non-performance of contract obligations, Edmund Tirbutt examines whether litigation liability insurance could be set for a boom.
How a Supreme Court ruling could cause surge in claims against directors
Ben Gold, partner in RPC’s professional and financial risk team, explains how a recent Supreme Court case (BTI v Sequana) confirms company directors owe a duty to creditors if the company nears balance sheet or cash flow insolvency.
Industry lacks a ‘credible understanding of terrorism in the UK’
The insurance industry needs to brush up on its understanding of terrorism risk ahead of the expected passage of Martyn’s Law next spring, Pool Re has said.
Best Lloyd’s underwriting result in years not enough to prevent pre-tax loss
Lloyd’s has posted a pre-tax loss of £769m for 2022, despite achieving its strongest underwriting result since 2015.
Climate litigation on the rise as Shell is sued
Kennedy’s partner Alex Nurse expects climate litigation to be on the rise as Shell is facing a legal battle filed by shareholders for its failure to adopt and implement an energy transition that aligns with the Paris Agreement.
Top 100 UK Insurers 2022
To date, the UK non-life market has been able to withstand the impact of operating challenges and with capital adequacy robust, William Keen-Tomlinson explains why the market has something of a buffer to absorb future uncertainty
Intelligence: Is it boom time for special purpose acquisition companies in the UK?
Although the mania for special purpose acquisition companies of early 2021 has subsided, investor enthusiasm persists and is in the process of going global. The losses directors’ and officers’ insurers can expect to flow from these types of companies…
Intelligence: Hardening continues with reinsurance renewals
January’s renewals saw reinsurers playing hardball not only in their pricing, but also in the structures of their clients’ reinsurance programmes. Post explains why the hardening market is not driven by a lack of capital, but by renewed underwriting…
Intelligence: Insuring the growing US cannabis market
Last year Malta became the first European nation to legalise cannabis after the United Nations reclassified the drug to recognise its therapeutic uses and – with other EU countries looking to follow suit – Post spoke to the specialists striving to meet…
Underwriters weigh impact of climate disclosures on D&O insurance
Underwriters of directors and officers’ insurance are weighing the impact climate-related obligations and commitments will have on claims, as business leaders face overseeing a growing raft of disclosures.
Top 100 UK Insurers 2021
Covid-19 had the biggest impact on insurers in 2020. Commercial lines insurers suffered while personal lines insurers broadly benefited according to William Keen-Tomlinson, senior financial analyst in London for AM Best.