Jonathan Swift
Content director, insurance
Jonathan has written and commented about the insurance industry since 1998 as a reporter, news editor, editor and content director at Incisive Media.
He has appeared on television speaking about topics as diverse as the insurance implications of Michael Jackson's death to the consequences of consolidation on motor premiums; and is a past winner of the British Insurance Brokers' Association journalist of the year and Association of British Insurers general insurance trade journalist prizes.
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Articles by Jonathan Swift
Big Interview: Wakam’s Olivier Jaillon
Jonathan Swift catches up with Wakam chief executive, and self-proclaimed rock’n’roll blockchain fan, Olivier Jaillon, to discuss the evolution of the go-to market for many insurtechs and brands seeking to sell embedded insurance.
Hello...? Why do British insurers struggle to ‘do an Adele’ and conquer the US?
Content Director's View: With the sale of Admiral-owned Compare.com to Insurify, Jonathan Swift muses on why British personal lines insurers struggle to translate success at home across the Atlantic.
Big Tech makes too much money out of insurers to compete with them
Big Tech firms have little incentive to become full-stack insurers themselves – they are making more than enough money servicing the industry to compete with it.
Big Interview: Crawford CEO Verma on averting the silver tsunami
Stepping up to the hotseat at the beginning of the pandemic might have initially phased him, but Crawford group CEO Rohit Verma tells Jonathan Swift how embracing technology, local empowerment, and being alive to the ‘silver tsunami’ has seen him make…
Interview: Peter Elliot on why he gave up the insurance boardroom to drive aid ambulances to Ukraine
To mark the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine Jonathan Swift spoke to retired insurance marketing veteran Peter Elliot about how the conflict changed his life.
Farewell Gibraltar, hello PRA - is the tide about to turn for new UK-regulated insurers?
Content Director's View: With non-standard motor insurer Lumun looking for Prudential Regulation Authority authorisation, Jonathan Swift asks whether we might be entering a new dawn for home grown insurance companies.
Ex-Somerset Bridge CEO Bilney to helm new UK authorised motor insurer Lumun
Former CEO of Somerset Bridge, Liz Bilney hopes to launch a new Prudential Regulation Authority authorised insurer Lumun by Q4 this year, Insurance Post can exclusively reveal.
Eight insurtech start-ups to watch in 2023
For the eighth year in a row Insurance Post content director Jonathan Swift casts an eye over the insurtech start-up space, and lists a number of firms worth watching over the next 12 months and beyond.
Six key takeaways from Post's digital, data and technology breakfast briefing
Insurance Post recently gathered together a group of insurance technology experts to discuss the digital and data trends and developments the market can expect to gain traction on in 2023 and beyond. Jonathan Swift recounts some of the most notable…
Is Direct Line’s profit warning a bellwether of more bad news to come?
Content director's view: Jonathan Swift reflects on what Direct Line Group's trading update, and decision to scrap its 2022 dividend, might mean for both it and the UK insurance market.
Retiring Muress replaced by Simoncic at Sedgwick
Market moves: Sedgwick international chief executive officer Ian Muress has announced plans to retire on 31 March, when he will be replaced by Tom Simoncic.
Is Munich Re, once the ‘go-to’ for insurtechs, tired of start-ups?
After Many Pets became the latest insurtech to list Munich Re as a former capacity provider this week. Jonathan Swift looks at what has become of the once omnipresent go-to partner for start-ups.
Deadline today: Last chance to enter the 2023 season of Claims Apprentice
Have you – or do you know someone within your team – that has what it takes to be the Claims Apprentice 2023?
Ex-Esure CEO Peter Graham seeks partners for insurtech Kudo
Kudo, the insurtech motor start-up set up by former Esure CEO and Legal & General MD Peter Graham, is seeking partners in the open banking, insurer and aggregator space after falling short in a crowdfunding round.
Ex-McLarens and GAB exec Trevor Latimer passes away
Trevor Latimer, the man who helped spearhead McLarens major push into the UK and Irish markets, has passed away.
Insurance Taskmaster Episode Two: Facing up to the collapse of Vehicle and General [1971]
Insurance Post has teamed up with Verisk for a new video show, in which we tasked six industry rising stars to solve some of the biggest historic challenges faced by the market over the past two centuries.
Content Director's comment: Has Amazon missed its prime time with price comparison offering?
One of the biggest stories of the last month was Amazon’s first foray into mainstream personal lines insurance in the UK.
Insurtech unicorns Zego and Marshmallow reveal large losses
The holding companies of UK insurtech unicorns Zego and Marshmallow have both reported losses for the financial year ending on 31 December 2021.
Axa's Tara Foley: Moja is already attracting younger customers than other brands
During its first month of trading Axa’s new digital start-up Moja has attracted customers that are on average a decade younger than its other brands, Insurance Post can reveal.
Briefing: Going Blanc again - Lemonade and Trov, a tale of two US insurtech pacesetters and their different paths to the UK
With Lemonade entering the UK market this week in partnership with Aviva, Jonathan Swift reflects on the similarities between its push and that of Trov in 2016. Not least the role of Amanda Blanc.
Interview: John O’Roarke and Ronan McCann, HF (formerly Horwich Farrelly)
Having overseen a name change from Horwich Farrelly, CEO Ronan McCann and chairman John O’Roarke explain how the rebranded HF is shaping up for a future of diversification, M&A and staff ownership as it looks to become the Admiral of the legal sector.
Content Director's Comment: Is FSA Mk2 really on the cards?
As the final two Conservative leadership hopefuls entered the final furlong of their campaigns towards the end of August, favourite Liz Truss’ camp threw a curveball into the media-sphere with claims if elected she would merge the UK financial regulators…
Spotlight on periodical payment orders: How do insurers manage PPO risks?
Introduced in April 2005, periodical payment orders might not have grown in the volumes some expected, but still pose challenges for general insurers not least due to their similarity to longevity life risks. Post spoke to both insurers and other…
Spotlight on periodical payment orders: The benefits of transferring PPO risks to a life insurer
Start-up life insurer AUL Assurance is targeting general insurers, offering them an opportunity to reduce their exposure to periodical payment order risks. What are the benefits of such transfers and why might the recent ASHE inflation figures make this…