Articles by Harry Curtis
Aviva has axed 1200 of 1800 jobs set to be cut
Operating profits for Aviva’s UK general insurance business fell 35% to £250m in 2019, though the result excludes the £45m cost of strengthening reserves following July’s Ogden rate revision, as it revealed it has cut 1200 jobs across the company so far.
Coronavirus to gain notifiable disease status across UK
Businesses disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak may be able to recoup their losses if they have purchased insurance policy extensions indemnifying losses stemming from “notifiable disease”, following updates to public health statutes.
Lloyd's silent cyber mandate leads to 'challenging conversations' over cover
A mandate issued by Lloyd’s of London with the aim of tackling the issue of insurers’ exposure to silent cyber coverage has led to questions over how some cyber-related risks will be underwritten in future.
Direct Line profits slump under weight of restructuring and Ogden rate
Direct Line’s profits slumped by 12.2% in 2019 as the group incurred the first of a multi-year package of restructuring costs and strengthened reserves in response to the revised Ogden rate.
Ardonagh adds agricultural specialist Rural to MGA suite
Ardonagh has acquired agricultural specialist Rural Insurance Group from Primary Group for an undisclosed sum.
Analysis: Closing the natural catastrophe protection gap
Though losses from natural catastrophes fell in 2019, the proportion of losses that were uninsured rose to a three-year high. Post investigates why.
UK insurers warned they could face US-style social inflation
UK insurers could soon see their claims costs increase as a result of social inflation similar to that which is challenging carriers in the US, law firms RPC and Hinshaw and Culbertson have warned.
Jon Hancock to become AIG international GI CEO after leaving Lloyd's
Jon Hancock has been appointed CEO of AIG’s international general insurance division, and will join the company this spring.
Hastings looks to suppliers and fraud detection to staunch claims inflation
Hastings is hoping that investment in its anti-fraud capabilities and supplier partnerships secured in the tail-end of last year will mitigate the impact of claims inflation on its bottom line.
ABI calls for annual government flood defence spending to rise to £1.2bn
Jon Dye, the chair of the Association of British Insurers, has called for government flood defence investment to rise to at least £1.2bn a year.
Restructuring costs weigh on Ageas' 2019 profits
Ageas UK saw its profitability slump by 21% last year, reporting full-year profits of £60.3m compared to £76.7m in 2018.
Ex-Lloyd's CEO Inga Beale joins Crawford board
Former Lloyd’s of London CEO Dame Inga Beale has been elected to the board of directors of Crawford & Company, as an independent director effective 11 February.
Storms Dennis and Ciara could cause greater claims surge than the Beast from the East
Storm Dennis has caused a second weekend of claims surges across the UK, and together with last weekend’s Storm Ciara, could be on track to exceed the impact on claims volumes of 2018’s Beast from the East.
Insurers and organisers count cost of events cancelled by coronavirus
Organisers and event insurers face uncertainty over what cancellations stemming from the ongoing Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak will cost them, as wordings are pored over and new policies have cover for the virus stripped out.
Cybercriminals look to exploit panic over coronavirus outbreak
Cybercriminals are increasingly using crisis events such as the ongoing Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak to breach the security systems of businesses and individuals.
Covid-19: Travel insurers at odds on coronavirus approach
Travel insurers are keeping a close eye Foreign Office travel advice and have taken differing positions on whether travelling to China amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak would invalidate policyholders' coverage.
Insurance policies likely to provide limited protection from coronavirus costs
Businesses seeking to use insurance to recoup costs incurred by the ongoing coronavirus outbreak are likely to find their cover wanting, due to a raft of exclusions, stringent notification criteria and sublimits.
Beazley aims to halve costs as COR creeps up in 2019
Beazley hopes to slash its expense ratio in half as a result of the proposed widespread reform of the Lloyd’s market and internal investment in automating simpler classes of business.
Insurer concerns on lenders' insurance requirements
Allianz has called on brokers to be more proactive in discussing the implications of financing agreements on clients’ insurance policies, warning that the conditions being requested by lenders are becoming increasingly onerous.
Aviva's Colm Holmes warns distracted driving is causing claims inflation
Aviva general insurance CEO Colm Holmes has said that claims inflation is far exceeding expectations, pinning the blame on poor driving.
This week: The wait is over
The wait began in 2017, and many of us felt that the agonising limbo might never end. But after two and a half years, the wait is finally over. That’s right: Kesha’s new album is out today.
Decisions on ADR and children still to be made by MOJ before whiplash portal's April launch
The Motor Insurers’ Bureau is waiting on a number of government decisions in order to meet the slated 6 April launch date for its whiplash portal.
MIB confident whiplash portal will be 'fit for anyone who needs it'
The Motor Insurers’ Bureau is confident in delivering the Official Injury Claim portal “that is fit for anyone who needs it”.
Fears carmaker pressure over autonomous vehicle scope could cause accidents
Pressure from manufacturers to extend the definition of what counts as an autonomous vehicle could lead to more accidents, Axa’s David Williams has warned.