Mergers & acquisitions (M&A)
Is Esure enough for Ageas?
News Editor’s View: After securing two acquisitions, Scott McGee asks if Ageas will look to acquire more rivals in the future to ensure it is a top three personal lines provider or whether it will focus more on organic growth.
McLarens changes top team to ‘maintain’ growth
McLarens has made changes to its senior management team, in a bid to “maintain the momentum” of the loss adjusting firm’s growth across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Zurich takes stake in Lloyd’s coverholder
Zurich Insurance is set to buy a stake in Icen Risk, a Lloyd’s of London coverholder.
What has driven loss adjuster start-ups to near extinction?
Content Director’s View: The beginning of the century saw a number of loss adjusting start-ups fueled by entrepreneurial managers and teams determined to go it alone and forge their own paths outside of the incumbent ‘big boys’ but of late these new…
Bringing a little cultural sunshine to the insurance market
View from the Top: Carolyn Callan, CEO of Brown & Brown Retail, explains why strong company culture is key to navigating mergers and acquisitions and ensuring lasting success.
Throwback Thursday: CU & GA’s vow; Beazley’s hoax cover
Insurance Post’s Throwback Thursday steps back in time to March 1998 to remind you what was going on this week in insurance history when Commercial Union and General Accident were making promises, and bomb threat cover was created.
Marshberry reveals the top 20 European insurance brokers
Over a quarter of Europe’s largest 20 brokers are UK domiciled with one of those businesses, Howden the second fastest growing intermediary on the continent, according to the latest European Insurance Distribution market report from Marshberry.
M&A trends in the UK insurance sector
After 2024 ended with the mega merger of Aviva and Direct Line being lined up, Insurance Post’s latest podcast examines whether more takeovers are on the cards for the UK industry in 2025.
Direct Line expected to return to profit ahead of Aviva vote
Investment bank Peel Hunt has predicted Direct Line Group will return to profit for the full year 2024, weeks before it is due to release its results and vote on the deal with Aviva.
JMG Group to maintain M&A spree in 2025
JMG Group has announced its intention to continue its acquisition strategy into 2025, following more than 20 acquisitions in 2024.
What to expect from the London market in 2025
Trade Voice: From consolidation to the evolution of specialty lines, Paul Finn, technical author at the London Forum of Insurance Lawyers, runs down the trends we’re likely to see in the London market this year.
Q&A: Matt Button, Davies
Matt Button outlines what he has been tasked with as deputy group CEO of Davies plus how he plans to ensure the business achieves annual global revenues of £2.5bn by the end of 2030.
Record claims payouts signal ‘new normal’ in W&I market
Howden has reported that its clients saw a record year of warranty and indemnity claims recoveries in 2024, with the business class seeing significantly elevated notifications for a second year in a row.
Fitch expects mixed fortunes for UK non-life insurers in 2025
Fitch Ratings has predicted that the UK non-life insurance sector will have mixed fortunes in 2025, with some parts of the market facing an uphill battle to turn a profit.
Holloway replaces Lickens as Clear Group’s M&A lead
Clear Group has named Oscar Holloway as its managing director of mergers and acquisitions, replacing Howard Lickens.
Allianz and LV to merge claims operations
Allianz has started the process to merge the claims operations of both Allianz Commercial and Allianz Personal, which includes LV, Insurance Post can reveal.
Aon doubling new business going into 2025 compared to 2024
Aon UK and Ireland CEO Jane Kielty has told Insurance Post that Aon has “twice as much new work” with existing clients and double the number of new clients going into 2025 than it did going into 2024.
Use of M&A insurance policies surges
The use of warranty and indemnity insurance grew to record levels during the first half of 2024 while claims and payments increase, a poll of providers has shown.
Why Aviva and Direct Line mega merger is nothing to fear
Editor’s View: Working her way through centuries of issues of Insurance Post just as Direct Line’s shareholders accepted Aviva’s £3.7bn bid for the business proved a timely reminder for Emma Ann Hughes of the pros and cons of mega mergers.
Premium increases won’t deliver growth in 2025 says Axa's Walker
Axa UK commercial CEO Jon Walker has outlined how the insurer plans to grow in 2025, noting that a softer market means insurers cannot bank on rate to keep their toplines climbing.
Gallagher confirms $13.45bn AssuredPartners purchase
Arthur J Gallagher & Co today (9 December) announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire AssuredPartners for $13.45bn (£10.5bn).