Feature
Broking SME: Battle stations in the fight for the little guy
Brokers are facing increased competition for SME customers, but they're not going down without a fight
Energy: Overcapacity causing problems as market rates stagnate
It has been a tumultuous few years for the insurance industry, and not many sectors have been affected as much as energy.
Rating agencies: The rating game
Nations and businesses alike are growing critical of rating agencies, so is a downgrade as damaging as it used to be?
Environment: The importance of environmental impairment liability cover
With environmental legislation becoming ever more onerous and liabilities ever more costly, businesses are beginning to wake up to the importance of having environmental impairment liability cover.
Non-standard risks: looking for an alternative
With a large number of insurers wary of taking on non-standard personal lines risks, specialists are carving their own niche.
Penny speed meets ... Malcolm Smith, commercial lines director, Groupama
Being an insatiable socialite, Penny Black is always eager to probe the personalities behind the professional veneer of her industry friends.
Bloodstock insurance: a breed apart
Recent horse sales in Newmarket and Kentucky, and last week's Cheltenham festival, have brought bloodstock insurance back into the limelight
Customer service: Brand reputation and the power of social media
Poor customer service in the social media age can be terrible for a firm's reputation, especially in the ultimate grudge purchase: motor insurance.
Application fraud: prevention is better than cure
The industry is beginning to tackle fraud at the application stage, effectively stopping fraud from taking place before a claim can be lodged
Roundtable: Technology collaboration - will the industry ever learn?
Could insurer and vendor fears over losing unique selling points be hampering the wider good of the industry?
Application fraud: deliberate use of inaccurate information on the rise
The number of opportunistic fraudsters has rocketed with the use of aggregator sites, as some customers deliberately provide inaccurate information in an attempt to get cheaper premiums.
In Series Emerging Markets: Asia has the right ingredients
Asia has all the key elements for an emerging market, with a number of countries in a vast and diverse area at various stages of development. How can insurers crack this market?
Affinity: Managing relationships is vital
Affinity business is a growing area for insurers, but how can the industry avoid its pitfalls while making partnerships work?
In Series Emerging Markets: Asia has the right ingredients
Asia has all the key elements for an emerging market, with a number of countries in a vast and diverse area at various stages of development. How can insurers crack this market?
In Series Emerging Markets: Drawing on professionalism
With capital continuing to pour into Asia, talent and professionalism is an issue that the Chartered Insurance Institute is well-placed to tackle.
Ethics: Entering the moral maze
The insurance industry has a poor public perception, many believing that firms put short-term profit above long-term customer satisfaction.
In Series: Emerging Markets - MENA means business
Despite growing competition in the Middle East and North Africa from local providers, there are still opportunities for foreign insurers in the market
In Series Emerging Markets: The importance of being experts
Despite the political upheavals in the Middle East and North Africa, the thirst for self-development and raised standards has continued unabated.
Christchurch one year on: a forgotten city?
A year on from the earthquakes in New Zealand, while the Christchurch disasters may be slipping out of public consciousness, the work to rebuild the city continues.
Commercial Insurers: Global Compliance - Airmic's proposed database raises questions
With global compliance still a major concern for risk managers, will Airmic's proposed database soothe corporate clients?
In Series: Emerging Markets - MENA means business
Despite growing competition in the Middle East and North Africa from local providers, there are still opportunities for foreign insurers in the market
Journey through the dark: the effect of ABS on solicitors' professional indemnity business
The effect of the arrival of alternative business structures on solicitors' professional indemnity business remains unclear, with no indication of what's at the end of the tunnel.
Takaful growth attracts domestic and multinational providers
Takaful insurance across the Middle East and South East Asia has seen rapid growth over the past five years. Francesca Nyman reports on what the future looks like for this sector.
Trade credit – Asian boom
Marsh China recently observed a significant increase in demand for trade credit insurance from Asian firms wanting to protect their balance sheets against the potential default of eurozone trading partners. Francesca Nyman asked several market insiders…