Ecclesiastical
FCA BI test case judgment expected Tuesday
The judgment in the Financial Conduct Authority’s business interruption test case, in which the regulator is representing policyholders against insurers, is expected Tuesday 15 September.
Ecclesiastical ducks to £59.7m loss for H1 2020
Insurer Ecclesiastical made a loss before tax of £59.7m for the first half of 2020 as the Covid-19 impact bit.
François-Xavier Boisseau made ERS chair after Amanda Blanc’s Aviva move
Former Ageas UK CEO François-Xavier Boisseau has been appointed as ERS chair following Amanda Blanc’s surprise Aviva CEO appointment.
BI court case judges aiming for draft judgment in mid-September
Lord Justice Flaux has confirmed the middle of September as the target date for a draft judgment in the business interruption court case brought by the Financial Conduct Authority against UK insurers.
Insurers’ QC claims FCA is 'forcing a square peg into a round hole' in BI test case
Providers argue regulator’s case doesn’t work because access to premises was not prevented during pandemic as lawyers for Hiscox, Ecclesiastical, MS Amlin, Arch Insurance and Zurich make their submissions.
Ecclesiastical recruits Trott from Allianz for claims director role as Bonehill retires
Ecclesiastical has recruited Jeremy Trott from Allianz to fill the claims director role with David Bonehill retiring this October.
QC calls on court to treat insurers fairly
Insurers dived into the causation debate during today's proceedings, slamming the Financial Conduct Authority’s approach to the ‘but for’ test as the business interruption case continued in the High Court.
FCA versus insurers as test case showdown begins
It was today confirmed up to 370,000 policyholders may be affected by the Financial Conduct Authority's High Court case, which aims to decide on the validity of business interruption cover during the coronavirus outbreak.
Insurers haul brokers into FCA BI case again
A joint skeleton argument attacks the FCA’s stance that SME customers are not sophisticated insurance buyers because they used brokers and slams Contra Proferentem as “restrictive” and “out of step”.
Restaurants that changed to takeaways under lockdown not 'same insured business' argues FCA
The Financial Conduct Authority has argued that where businesses made changes to their model and customers could not access them as normal, giving the example of a restaurant becoming a takeaway, they are not the "same insured business" and insurers…
Insurers argue FCA BI victory would lead to ‘injustice’
Defendants in the Financial Conduct Authority’s BI test case warn providers could be liable for losses they never agreed to cover.
Briefing: Ecclesiastical’s child abuse claims shame – CEO Hews’ admission too little too late?
If Ecclesiastical CEO Mark Hews is sorry for how the insurer has handled non-recent child sexual abuse claims, should he not be addressing the victims rather than shareholders?
Insurer approaches to causation ‘legally flawed’ FCA argues in BI test case
The Financial Conduct Authority has alleged that insurers’ approach to causation in the business interruption test case is “legally flawed” and the defendants have “overlooked” contractual contexts.
Insurers failed to raise issues with government's restriction triggers says FCA
Insurers should have offered government earlier ‘opportunity’ to regulate if they disagreed with restriction insurance triggers, the Financial Conduct Authority has said.
Brokers not responsible for BI test case insurance policies under contract law, argues FCA
The business interruption policies under scrutiny in the Financial Conduct Authority’s test case are presented ‘in the manner which most benefits insurers’ and therefore brokers should not take the blame for any contractual breaches, the regulator has…
Action groups hit out at 'absurd' insurer defences in FCA BI case
Insurers have been accused of filibustering in relation to business interruption as firms suffer “devastating losses” following coronavirus lockdown.
Analysis: The Covid crunch in insurer results
With analysts cautioning the Covid crunch will begin to bite insurers in the second quarter of 2020, Post investigates what impact the coronavirus pandemic has already had in the first quarter
RSA walks back on Marsh criticism in FCA's BI test case
As RSA changed its mind on part of its argument that drew criticism from Marsh, the Financial Conduct Authority said insurers were failing to take account of “the true nature of the insurance provided” in its business interruption test case, according to…
Penny Black's Social World: July 2020
Movement for Good, artistic auctions and Cupcake Day
Profits nearly quadruple at Ecclesiastical in 2019
Ecclesiastical delivered £58m in post-tax profit last year, more than treble the £15.2m achieved in 2018, according to a filing at Companies House.
Insurers accused of ‘dragging feet’ as extra FCA BI September trial dates mooted
Insurers have been accused of "dragging feet" in the Financial Conduct Authority's business interruption test case, as they sought additional hearing time in September to debate on the regulator's use of an analysis by the University of Cambridge to…
Briefing: Have insurers thrown brokers under the bus on BI?
There have always been points of conflict in the insurer and broker relationship but this week that reached a new low as RSA offered up Marsh as a human shield in its battle to avoid payment of business interruption claims for the Covid-19 pandemic.
Marsh bites back as RSA alleges it is on the hook for wording in FCA BI test case
Marsh has disputed RSA allegations its clients should be liable for brokered policy contract issues in the Financial Conduct Authority’s business interruption test case, as brokers were dragged into the ongoing proceedings.
BI Case Notes: A who’s who of the FCA’s business interruption test case
Updated: The Financial Conduct Authority’s test case showdown, which the regulator has estimated could affected 370,000 policyholders, is expected to reach a climax on 15 January 2021 when the Supreme Court will rule on points of appeal.
