Wes Streeting: Progress on NHS delays as private insurance soars January 22, 2026 Employer-provided health insurance coverage has reached a 30-year high, with 4.8m people now covered, as businesses ramped up employment benefits amid the NHS backlog. UK health insurers paid out a record £4bn in 2024, averaging £11m every day, according to new figures by the ABI. Despite NHS data showing that the waiting list fell by [...]
Lloyd’s of London’s Beazley again rejects Zurich’s £7.7bn takeover bid January 22, 2026 Beazley, the prominent Lloyd’s of London underwriter, has unanimously rejected a 1,280p per share cash proposal from Zurich Insurance Group, which it says “materially undervalues” the firm’s future prospects. The board noted that this latest offer is actually lower than a 1,315p proposal Zurich made in June last year, which valued the firm at approximately [...]
Zurich makes £7.7bn play for Beazley after FTSE 100 firm rejected first offer January 19, 2026 Zurich Insurance Group has launched its second public pursuit of Lloyd’s of London prominent underwriter Beazley with a revised proposal at 1.280 pence per share, valuing the firm at just under £8bn. At the start of the month, Zurich privately submitted a proposal to the Beazley board to acquire 100 per cent of the company [...]
CVC and AIG forge landmark $3.5bn investment alliance January 19, 2026 Private equity firm CVC Capital Partners announced a $3.5bn (£2.61bn) strategic partnership with American International Group (AIG) to support “long-term investment objectives”. As part of the agreement, announced on Monday, AIG will act as a ‘cornerstone investor’, a private equity secondaries evergreen platform, contributing up to $1.5bn from AIG’s existing private equity portfolio. This aims [...]
Insurance giants are no longer afraid to sue competitors over ‘team poaching’ January 15, 2026 London’s insurance sector is becoming increasingly litigious as the battle for niche talent intensifies, after a wave of High Court cases suggests ‘team poaching’ has become a legal flashpoint. If, like me, you are glued to the court filing system, you’ll have seen a noticeable uptick in lawsuits over restrictive covenants going to London’s High [...]
Vitality posts healthy profit as revenue passes £1bn January 8, 2026 Health and life insurer Vitality surged back into the black after its revenue passed the £1bn mark during its latest financial year. The London-headquartered business has posted a pre-tax profit of £48m for the 12 months to 30 June 2025, new accounts filed with Companies House show. The total comes after it fell to a [...]
Vessel insurance in focus after US strikes on Venezuela January 6, 2026 The waters surrounding Venezuela see significant maritime traffic. However, following US air strikes on the country on Friday, an insurance body has advised shipowners to consult with underwriters before sailing. Venezuela is home to the largest proven oil reserves on earth, resulting in busy trade via its waters. Puerto Cabello is the country’s busiest port, [...]
Howden expands US footprint with acquisition of Atlantic Global Risk January 5, 2026 Insurance giant Howden has acquired US independent transaction-liability insurance broker Atlantic Global Risk as part of its US expansion. New York-headquartered Atlantic Group has over 110 people across four key business areas: representations and warranties insurance, tax liability insurance, contingent risk insurance, and credit risk insurance. Howden’s focus in the USA is a strategic and [...]
I’ve been speaking to CEOs all year – this is what they really think December 24, 2025 After spending a year interviewing some of the UK’s top business leaders, a number of themes have emerged which paint a concerning picture of their confidence in this country’s future prospects – but there is also hope. In 25 episodes of City AM‘s Boardroom Uncovered podcast series in 2025, a large number of the CEOs [...]
UK home insurers brace for 2026 losses as premiums set to fall December 23, 2025 British home insurers are set to finish 2025 in the black, but losses are expected in 2026. According to data exclusively shared with City AM by Deloitte, UK home insurers are set to make an underwriting profit in 2025, with a net combined ratio (NCR) of 98 per cent. For every £1 taken in premiums [...]