EY
ISA Countdown: Q&A with Ernst & Young's May Knight
As the last in our series counting down to Insurance Strategy Asia next week, Insurance Insight spoke to May Knight about her views on the Asian insurance market.
Opening the Takaful market
Initial forays into the Takaful market in the UK have so far met with failure. Despite this, there is still a conviction that a relevant Takaful market exists.
Social Media: The social media circle
With a culture of risk aversion, insurance is not a major social media player. But will the emergence of innovative German player Friendsurance change things?
Benign weather and rate rises result in record reported profits for insurers
Insurers have reaped the rewards of benign weather and rate rises in catastrophe hit regions, but analysts warn the worst could be yet to come.
Top 10 news stories
The top 10 most popular articles published on insuranceinsight.com over the past seven days.
Non-life premiums to stay suppressed until 2015
Non-life premiums will not rebound to 2003 levels until after 2015, according to Ernst & Young's economic forecast.
'Sluggish' growth predicted for next three years
Insurance premiums will not recover until after 2015, growing just 0.9% this year, Ernst & Young has predicted.
RSA leads charge as Northern Ireland sheds no-go image among insurers
RSA last week pledged to invest £5m in Northern Ireland, intent on becoming the country's leading insurer, but local analysts are divided as to whether this will prompt a flurry of interest in the market or whether its small size will continue to…
Ferma launches 2012 benchmarking survey
The Federation of European Risk Management Associations launches the 2012 Ferma Benchmarking Survey today.
Takaful to grow to $12bn this year
Saudi cooperatives account for $4.3bn, or 52%, of global Takaful contributions.
Fringe markets to drive takaful gross contributions to $12bn
Global takaful contributions grew by 19% to $8.3bn in 2010, according to Ernst & Young's World Takaful Report 2012.
QBE move for Brit secures broker backing as deal doubles regional GWP
Acquiring Brit UK's renewal rights is Australian insurer QBE's biggest UK deal in more than 10 years, and signifies its commitment to becoming a major player in the regional broker market insuring SMEs.
India's foreign direct investment u-turn hits IPO plans
The Indian government's move to defer the easing of foreign direct investment in insurance will scupper the plans of large companies considering initial public offerings and may push consolidation, according reports in the Indian press.
Are you listening to your customer?
The perception in the insurance market is that all customers care about is price but, as Geoffrey Godding and John Cooper reveal, a recent survey highlighted that brand, financial security and insurer interaction are just as important.
Market moves: Insurers lead Easter recruitment charge
As the industry heads into the Easter break, insurers are, once again, leading the way in the recruitment space.
Omega international appeal soars following CNA £143m bid for Hardy
CNA acquiring Hardy could trigger a rush by international players to purchase Omega in a bid to access Lloyd's, analysts have predicted.
Solvency II changes ignore industry concerns, E&Y says
The European Parliament’s Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee’s agreed Solvency II amendments disregards industry proposals, according to Ernst & Young.
Market moves: MGAs making the moves
This week the recruitment space belonged to managing general agents.
Bearing Point hires former Ernst & Young consultant for insurance head role
Business consulting firm Bearing Point has appointed former Ernst & Young consultant Christopher Ling to head of insurance in the UK.
Robertson returns to Ernst & Young to head up UK insurance
Mark Roberston has joined Ernst & Young to head up the UK insurance team.
Marine hull insurers await rating impact in wake of cruise ship sinking
The Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster has been called the largest insurance loss in maritime history with some suggesting it could be “bigger than the Titanic”.
Broking - Mergers & acquisitions: Do not disturb
2011 was a relatively sleepy year for merger & acquisition activity in the broker sector. Could 2012 be a wake-up call or will the market stay snoozing?
Fitch Ratings gives referral fee ban its seal of approval
Fitch Ratings has approved measures to ban UK motor insurers from receiving any type of referral fees, saying represents a more meaningful step towards combating the rise in fraudulent claims.
Expert analysis: Relatively calm
Although competition remains fierce in the aggregator arena, the rush for volume has slowed as the motor market moves closer to break-even point, says Tom Cooper, Igo4.