Analysis
Unruly waters
The Gulf of Aden has been plagued by pirate activity, with more than 240 attacks in 2009. But Andrew Moulton reveals how cargo providers and insurers are fighting back in a bid to reclaim the seas.
Crisis kickback
The continued credit crisis has set in motion a raft of alterations to accounting standards. John O'Neill outlines these changes and their impact.
An explosive finale
2009 looked like being a quiet year for loss adjusters, writes Leigh Jackson. However, the floods that hit Cumbria over a three-day period at its tail-end have provoked a surge in activity.
Review of the year - general insurance: Watch the green grass grow
Jonathan Swift looks back at how general insurers have developed over the past 12 months and polls industry leaders on the successes and failures of 2009 as well as what they see in store for 2010.
Under strain
Rising complaints about the solicitors' indemnity scheme have prompted calls for change. Hugh Price and Roger Flaxman explain why varying the renewal date alone will not solve the problem.
Different strokes
With insurers facing many challenges, no two are in the same situation. Richard Collard and Tony Boobier report on how firms are unlocking the value in their data and bringing together existing technology intelligently.
Turning point
An increased focus on transparency and the auditing of placement negotiations are just two of the market factors that have fuelled the latest trend towards electronic trading, writes Chris Dobson.
Cyber threat or opportunity?
Data loss and data theft are real risks for insurers — but could they also be an opportunity? Patrick Hill reports.
Don't just stand there, do something
Dr Manda Holmshaw examines why critical incident debriefing may be the wrong approach to meet the needs of emotionally distressed people after a major disaster.
Fine-tune required
The Sentencing Guidelines Council recently published its thinking on fine levels for corporate manslaughter cases, which could disappoint pressure groups. Peter James reports on what these recommendations entail.
Calm on the surface
Although 2009 may have seemed a relatively quiet year in the insurance legal arena, Lynn Rouse reports that furious paddling has been underway, with change around the corner.
Better,faster,stronger
The Lloyd's market is seeking to further enhance and modernise its processes with a claims transformation project. David McCarthy considers the proposed reforms, the pilot scheme about to commence and their potential impact.
Delivering the message
There remains a general reluctance by police forces to handle individual insurance fraud cases, but there must be deterrents such as custodial sentences and heavy fines if insurers are to change the view that they are an easy touch, writes Tom Scott.
Play the long game
Despite the economic troubles of 2009, Lloyd's and the London market still had a fairly successful, if cautious, year. Mairi MacDonald takes a look back at the past 12 months.
The real threat
Myths about cross-selling and fear of expert knowledge are putting commercial brokers off branching into high net worth. Bob Trott explains why these should be overcome before direct writers take the opportunity away.
Innovation sitting on your doorstep
Commoditisaton and viewing insurance as a necessary evil has led to a lack of consumer confidence in motor insurance. Mark Scanlon explains why insurers will reap the benefits of returning to pure insurance.
The quiet revolution
Forward-thinking companies are exploiting new technology platforms — such as the Iphone — but are insurers aware of these opportunities and what are they doing to embrace them, asks Tim Tribe.
Hitting the headlines in '09
With only a small number of major losses, this year has been declared boring by many market sources. Yet as reinsurance begins to recover from the credit crisis, the lack of major events can only be seen as a good thing for the industry. Reinsurance has…
Reflecting regulations
After taking a battering from the financial crisis, the focus is on which new regulations will be put in place to prevent a repeat, writes Tim Evershed.
Rates remain stable
Our roundup of reader opinion reveals that reinsurance pricing continues to flatten and that the growing dichotomy between insurers and reinsurers, due to the effects of the global financial crisis on results, was perceived as the biggest development of…
Faking it
Insurance fraud is nothing new, but success combating it elsewhere means fraudsters are looking to industrial disease, where testing is often subjective, making claims ripe for fabrication, write Gary Fitzpatrick and Simon Staples.
Blowing the whistle
Staff members can form a frontline defence against fraud committed by their colleagues — but only if they feel safe to come forward. Mark Jones explains why employers should consider a whistleblowers' charter to encourage them to do so.
A tale of two halves
The impact of the economic downturn hit the private medical insurance sector at the end of 2008 and the beginning of this year, and although stabilisation has been a feature of the second half, brokers are still fighting for business, reports Stephanie…
At the crossroads
2009 saw a slowdown in broking merger and acquisition activity in favour of contemplation and integration. Daniel Dunkley reports on a year that on the surface was relatively quiet.