Articles by Emma Ann Hughes
Insurance CFOs reveal what keeps them up at night
Data analysis: The insurance industry sees high inflation, a downbeat economic outlook and market volatility as the three biggest threats to profitability this year, according to Moody’s annual survey of chief financial officers from 22 leading European…
Diary of an Insurer: Markel’s Nick Rugg
Nick Rugg, head of fintech and investment management insurance at Markel International, trains for a half marathon, sings karaoke and encourages younger team members to really understand what underwriters are looking for.
Esure bosses blame claims inflation for £29.1m loss
Esure posted a £29.1m loss for 2022 with bosses blaming significant claims inflation, a weak pricing environment, increased weather-related home claims, plus motor claims going back to pre-Covid levels.
Why we need fire and brimstone over Consumer Duty
Editor's View: Emma Ann Hughes asks whether Old Testament-style regulation is required to push general insurers to meet the Consumer Duty requirements.
Martin Lewis’s charity outlines steps for Consumer Duty compliance
A charity established by campaigning journalist Martin Lewis has urged insurers to provide mental health training for underwriters and frontline staff if they wish to adhere to the FCA’s Consumer Duty requirements.
CII apologises for latest IT mistake
The Chartered Insurance Institute has made yet another IT error, which saw established members “welcomed” to the 126-year-old professional body.
FCA still asking insurers if they have heard of Consumer Duty
With only four months to go until the Financial Conduct Authority’s Consumer Duty comes into force, the regulator has reached out to insurers to ask if they have even heard of the new set of rules.
Q&A: Allianz Commercial’s Catherine Dixon
Allianz Commercial’s chief underwriting officer Catherine Dixon reveals how to underwrite in a high inflationary environment and grow the renewable energy sector.
Insurance Post Podcast: Making insurance more diverse and inclusive
Insurers can boost their profit margins by having diverse voices in the decision-making room, according to the Association of British Insurers.
Heatwave sees subsidence insurance payouts surge to £219m
Insurers expect to pay £219m in subsidence claims made in 2022, according to the latest Association of British Insurers data.
MGAA’s Keating on why a ‘tick-box’ approach to EDI is unacceptable
Mike Keating, chief executive of the Managing General Agents Association, said the trade body’s equality, diversity and inclusion training programme will highlight how companies cannot take a “tick-box” approach to the issue anymore.
Energy crisis fails to derail insurers from hitting ESG targets
Data analysis: Insurers and reinsurers are managing to stick to their shorter-term goals of cutting underwriting emissions even during the energy crisis.
FCA contacts insurers over Consumer Duty concerns
The Financial Conduct Authority is already reaching out to insurance firm bosses to raise concerns the businesses won’t comply with the Consumer Duty when it comes into force in July.
US insurtech eyes UK commercial motor insurance market
Tony Beirne, of US commercial trucking insurance provider and insurtech Cover Whale, has revealed the business is “very open to other geographies”.
Why you would be wrong to write off Amazon’s insurance store
Editor’s View: While Amazon’s initial insurance sales may have failed to set the world alight, Emma Ann Hughes warns the industry should be still be scared because of the e-commerce giant’s track record on delivering the convenience consumers crave.
Podcast: Lessons the insurance industry learnt from Covid-19
The industry has learnt to communicate more clearly what is and isn’t covered by insurance policies, according to the Association of British Insurers, Allianz and Genasys.
Ghost broking accounts for third of insurance fraud investigations
Ghost broking now makes up over a third of the cases being investigated by the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department at the City of London Police and there has been a surge in the number of scammers using Instagram to try and con consumers.on consumers.
Aviva CEO Amanda Blanc on Desert Island Discs: Five things we learnt
Amanda Blanc, Group CEO of Aviva, appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs programme, where she selected eight tracks, a book and a luxury item to take with her to a desert island.
Aviva and Axa lead the way in achieving equity for women
Aviva and Axa are leading the way when it comes to creating a more diverse, inclusive and equitable insurance industry for women, according to an analysis of press coverage.
How insurers are helping travellers carry on cruising
Emma Ann Hughes examines how three years on from a fatal coronavirus outbreak onboard the Diamond Princess, cruise travel insurance has changed to ensure thousands can set sail with confidence again this year.
Insurance Post Podcast: How to achieve a successful merger
Insurers wanting to get the best price for their business need to reassure a buyer that what they see on day one of sales talks is what they will get when the deal is completed, according to McLarens and Clear Group.
FOS aims to slash insurance complaints queue
The Financial Ombudsman Service intends to change the way it records the number of complaints against insurance companies, in a bid to encourage more businesses to settle with policyholders before an investigation is launched.
Break down barriers rather than teaching women to jump higher
Editor's View: With International Women's Day returning on 8 March, Insurance Post editor Emma Ann Hughes says now is the time to stop teaching women facing barriers in their insurance career to jump higher, and smash glass ceilings instead.
Insurance Post Podcast: How the cost-of-living crisis is impacting motor insurance
The cost-of-living crisis is causing some motor insurance policyholders to delay making a claim because they would struggle to pay the excess.