Analysis
Directors' & Officers' - economic impact: Bitten by the risks?
The credit crunch threatens to bring a rise in directors' and officers' claims. Jane Bernstein investigates whether this threat is becoming a reality and how this is affecting sales of the product.
Regulation - PPI fallout: Burst the balloon
With the Competition Commission poised to bring a new case against point of sale payment protection insurance, Leigh Jackson asks what now for the sector — and where might the regulator point its finger next?
Legal update - Thrid Parties Rights Bill: Straight to the point
The Third Parties (Rights Against Insurers) Bill went to the House of Lords late last year, aimed at updating the Third Parties Act of 1930. Terry Donaghy looks at the implications this has for insurers.
Technology - strategy: Soothe the legacy headache
Short-term fixes and data silos still dominate the IT insurance landscape, storing up trouble for the future. Andy Nightingale explains the effectiveness of an alternative approach, from both a cost and capability perspective.
Commercial aggregators: Moving targets
Aggregators have gradually exerted a stranglehold on personal lines insurance distribution that only the most powerful marketing budgets can now compete with. Ralph Savage investigates the potential for aggregators to shift their gaze towards commercial…
Fraud - voice stress analysis: Liar, liar
With fraud costing insurers £1.8bn in 2009, Daniel Dunkley explores the validity and effectiveness of voice stress analysis technology, once hailed as a 'silver bullet' for the industry.
News analysis - Jackson report: In decent proposals
Andrew Parker examines the proposals unveiled last week by the Jackson report and considers the implications they hold for insurers, claimants and the legal sector.
News analysis - aggregators: Back to black?
The past three months have finally seen private motor prices increase en masse. Tom Cooper analyses this and its potential for a return to market profit.
Muddying the waters
Financial deputies act for claimants unable to manage their finances. However, Adam Fullwood explains that a Court of Appeal decision has muddied the waters once again over the key issue of public funding of future care costs.
Scope of employment
Employers are responsible for acts committed by staff in the course of their employment. Will Jones examines case law to determine how wide-ranging this liability is.
Brand of gold
Mark Williamson takes a look at the importance of positioning your brand correctly, and the perils and pitfalls that can occur if you make a mistake in tying your brand to another entity.
Half-baked reform
Andrew Milne examines the radical changes originally proposed by the Civil Law Reform Bill on limitation, highlighting the problems that would have beset the construction sector as a result.
Digital revolution
Fraud investigations are often hampered by traditional methods of recording and transcribing interviews. Simon Jones examines the advances made in digital recording and explains how this could help insurers cut fraud bills.
Crime scene investigation
Amy Ellis reports on how police forensic investigations can delay the reinstatement process for buildings and examines the implications this has for major loss claims.
Motor insurance: Pay as you go?
Motor insurers have faced a barrage of bad publicity over the costs associated with spreading premium payments over a year, rather than in one lump sum. Jakki May reports on the issues.
Don't shoot the messenger
When a company goes under, it is easy to blame the auditor that signed off the accounts, but it may not be that simple, explains Richard Highley.
Enough being done?
November's flooding in Cumbria once again highlighted this growing risk and coincided with publication of the Flood and Water Management Bill. Tony Hutchins assesses the proposals and asks if the government is doing enough to manage flood risks.
Contamination frustration
The appropriate methods for the clean up of contamination are not always followed to the letter. Martin Richell reports on the liability issues that can occur when this is the case.
Final curtain for cowboys
A lot has changed over the past 10 years in the damage management industry, with new technology, procedures and professionalism taking centre stage. Sam Barrett reports on the changes.
Keep schtum
Rachel Gordon looks into contingent commissions, questions why so many brokers and insurers refuse to explain their strategies, and queries whether the Financial Services Authority's stance is strong enough.
Yet more regulatory burden
Changes to capital requirements are not the only element of Solvency II that insurers should be concerned about. Neil Coulson details the proposals for onerous information sharing.
Time for change?
Phil Bird highlights the continued cultural and philosophical divide between many underwriting and claims teams, and argues that closer working can only benefit the industry as a whole.
Vital ingredient
Despite claims handling being an intrinsic part of every insurer's reputation, Leigh Jackson ponders why the discipline is so under-represented at board level.