Opinion
Regulation response: Twin peaks - a return to the dark ages?
Nature does not favour creatures with two heads, probably because they spend most of their time arguing with themselves.
View from the top: FSA supervision strategy does not reflect risk of client detriment
As chairman of the Chartered Insurance Institute’s broking faculty, I recently had the pleasure of visiting the Financial Services Authority to hear about the impending changes to our regulatory world and it was a fascinating insight into what’s going on…
Editor's comment: Consolidation casualties coming?
The specifics of what went wrong at North West personal injury firm Donns - forcing it into administration at the cost of 42 jobs, while 2500 cases were still in progress - will remain the subject of speculation for some time.
View from the Top: Olympic challenges
The London 2012 Olympic Games will have a significant and positive impact on the UK and its businesses, but companies will need to give careful consideration to the effect on their day-to-day operations.
Bancassurance in CEE: opportunities for growth
Some view Central and Eastern Europe as behind Western Europe, but bancassurance could help to change this. Thomas Schöllkopf takes a look at the motives and opportunities for growth offered by this alternative sales channel.
South Asia slow down: is this a blip or the new normal?
South Asia is probably the region of the world most acutely aware of the interconnectedness of growth prospects across countries in the developed and developing world.
Your say: Treating telematics data fairly
Sharing customer data would, on the face of it, be illegal and against the public interest, says Mike Brockman.
View from the top: Learning from our neighbours
As Italy takes a step towards combating motor fraud, can the UK follow suit?
View from the top - Social Media: A tale of the unpredictable and of the inevitable
Recent years have witnessed the most drastic change in human behaviour, both in terms of fine tuning our knowledge towards what and who is really of interest to us, and in the way individuals interact with each other.
Comment: The risk of irrelevance
A recent report paints a bleak picture for the future of insurance.
Your say: Addressing fraud
The issue of fraudulent employers’ liability and public liability claims has recently been debated, and the drive to tackle such claims is to be applauded. Caution is urged, however, when deciding what is and - what is not - fraud.
Comment: Uncertainty is the only certainty
2012 could see a raft of changes to the insurance industry
Website review: Privilege
Actress Joanna Lumley might tell viewers that you don’t have to be posh to be privileged, but how does its website stack up against the rest of the market?
Editor's comment: Brokers more measured than Mel
This week, Scottish independence - and where businesses stand on the issue - was in the headlines, and very few major firms have raised their heads over the parapet to express a view on the subject.
View from the top: New syndicates essential if Lloyd’s market is to thrive
As Lloyd’s tackles the thorny issue of distribution, perhaps a fundamental issue is that it must encourage the market to continue to rejuvenate by enabling the creation of new syndicates.
Your Say: Forecasting for subsidence
The Secretary of State has declared a drought in the south east, while East Anglia has received just 35% of the rain it might usually expect in the first 20 days of February. But this means very little when it comes to predicting the potential cost of…
Your Say: Taking on Tesco
Since Axa and Zurich reported improved UK earnings in mid-February, a number of other insurers have impressed with upbeat personal lines results. After a dismal 2011, these performances should be applauded, and demonstrate that, unlike the banks, which…
Comment: Mind the Watford Gap
Web-based technology means the Lloyd's market can afford to look beyond London
Editor's comment: Insurers must be socially mobile
Joining a party too late can be disastrous. Not least because the early attendees may have drunk the place dry.
Ask the expert: Ali Foroshani
A senior consultant in Randstad Financial & Professional's insurance division, Ali Foroshani advises on what to do if you feel stuck in a rut.
Editor's comment: Leaving on a jet plane
Reports that the Prudential is looking at jumping into Asia after 164 years has made some obvious waves around the sector.
View from the Top: Affinity in Central and Eastern Europe
In the last few years, many customers in Central Eastern Europe have welcomed a one stop-shop approach, appreciating the benefits of insuring their products at the same time as purchasing them.
Your say: Piping up over freezing
The Department for Environment and Rural Affairs is dropping hints that it may agree to some sort of subsidy for properties built in flood zones to support insurers in offering affordable cover.
View from the top: Investing in people is paramount
While an over-used phrase, it is true that broking is a people business. Every day we are building relationships with our clients and with our provider partners. Therefore, focusing on and investing in people development is not just a cliché, it’s a…