Opinion
Penny Black’s insurance week
Pity Penny’s friend Jamie Marchant, Groupama’s marketing supremo.
Your say: Question marks over Bent
The judgment in the Bent v Highways and Utilities case raises some very interesting questions - and there are at least two question marks hanging over the early stage handling of the case.
Editor's comment: Sales, sprinklers and statistics
Any reputable estate agent — excusing the potential oxymoron — will tell you the property market falls quiet in the run-up to Christmas, as potential vendors focus on the festivities ahead. Not so in the insurance market, with an unexpected end-of-year…
My best 11- Ian Wainwright and Paul Lee, Ecclesiastical Insurance
Ian Wainwright, broker sales director at Ecclesiastical, and Paul Lee, northern regional director, select their Best XI for an insurance start-up. The self-styled Clough and Taylor have chosen from the great and good of insurance — including their boss —…
View from the top: Embrace the post-Jackson world
The Jackson reforms present a real opportunity. As we await the Ministry of Justice consultation response, let’s be optimistic and assume full implementation next year at sustainable costs levels with real incentives to keep cases ‘on track’.
Helping retailers to have a merry Christmas
Given the precarious state of the European economy and the threat of a double dip recession a real possibility, retailers across Europe need a good Christmas shopping season more than ever this year.
Your say: ABI gauntlet thrown down...
An article published in the 3 November edition of Post started a bit of a debate between Auto Law legal director Lucy Bonham Carter and assistant director, head of motor and liability at the Association of British Insurers, James Dalton.
Penny Black’s insurance week
Penny was delighted to be among the industry grandees for the prestigious 60th birthday bash of high net worth insurer Sterling last week, taking in the atmosphere at London’s fancy Café de Paris.
Editor's comment: Knowledge swap shop
The first of many: that appears to be the over-riding theme of this week’s insurance market developments. First we had the groundbreaking strategic partnership struck between Catlin and China Re, in a move both parties expect will prove extremely…
View from the top: Taking opportunities
The Swedish market for non-life insurance is dominated by four large domestic players together accounting for around 82% of annual premium.
Penny Black’s insurance week
Although more accustomed to fine dining and a spot of opera, Penny accepted an invitation from Towergate’s Marc DonFrancesco for a slap-up steak, washed down with some rock ‘n’ roll.
Your say: Thinking small
I enjoyed the article about the ‘historic’ merger between the British Insurance Brokers’ Association and Institute of Insurance Brokers but was a little disappointed that the only broker reaction published came from Stuart Reid, Jon Morrell and Phillip…
Editor's comment: Coming back to bite
Confident words have a nasty habit of coming back to haunt you – as Admiral’s CEO Henry Engelhardt discovered to his cost this week. From stockmarket darling to deep disappointer inside nine months, the motor-focused UK insurer has certainly suffered a…
My best 11 Simon Cooter, Brit Insurance
Brit Insurance’s director of market management and regional operations selects his Best XI for an insurance start-up, relying heavily on his colleagues, as well as celebrity businessmen and sporting superstars.
Career development: Ask the expert
Have the traditional push and pull factors, which influence people to move jobs, changed post-recession?
Comment: Understanding the risks
From December 2012, insurance premiums can no longer be based on gender and, as documented in Amy Ellis’ article, a ban on the age proxy looks likely to follow suit. It is not, therefore, inconceivable that a ban on the use of many more insurance proxies…
View from the top: An apple a day
‘We made the buttons on the screen look so good you’ll want to lick them,’ was something Apple founder Steve Jobs once said to a journalist eager to unpick the secrets that underpinned the firm’s meteoric rise to become one of the biggest companies in…
Your say: Unpalatable truth
The article by Amy Ellis concerning so called ‘referral fees’ paid by contractors’ networks takes up a subject that has been central to the concerns of some in the loss adjusting profession for many years
Your say: A positive influence
I read with interest the two articles in last week’s Post (3 November 2011) concerning managed building repair networks: ‘Building referral fee costs hitting industry for ‘tens of millions of pounds’ and ‘Rok One Year On’.
Penny Black’s insurance week
Penny was impressed to learn Zurich’s commercial broking team is gearing up for a 1000-mile charity bike ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats.
Editor's comment: Oxygen offers lessons for all
The ‘breath of fresh air’ puns were never too far away when the London market broker Oxygen was launched in 2004 with bullish enthusiasm.
Penny Black’s insurance week
After Penny’s crash course in liability with Aviva, she felt an appointment to the Health and Safety Executive was in order.
Your say: Misrepresentation is not fraud
I was concerned to note that John Cannon states in his recent article “failure to declare a change in circumstances to a lender is classed as a form of occupancy fraud”.
View from the top: A digital era dawns for the London market
The time feels right for grabbing the jewel in the crown of the London insurance markets reform programme — electronic support of the placement transaction. Aon has a long track record in pushing forward with market reforms that bring 21st Century e…