London motorists hit with sharpest uptick in car insurance costs as UK premiums surge January 25, 2023 Motorists are now paying £100 more for car insurance than last year, according to new research which shows premiums have increased at their sharpest rate in six years. Car insurance premiums have increased 19 per cent over the past 12 months, meaning motorists now pay average sums of £629 to insure their vehicles, Confused.com’s Car [...]
December’s deep freeze: Cost of living crisis leaves Aviva with a £50m bill for burst pipes and water tanks January 25, 2023 Aviva said last December’s freezing weather meant it had to pay out £50m to policyholders claiming for damage caused by burst pipes and water tanks. An Aviva spokesperson told City A.M. said soaring energy costs had led to more frozen pipes because households were more reluctance to turn on the heating, leading to more extremes [...]
Saga to launch new over-50s media brand to capitalise on UK’s ageing population January 24, 2023 Saga is set to launch a new over-50s media brand, the conglomerate’s chief executive told City A.M., as the company looks to capitalise on the UK’s ageing population. Saga, which sells travel, insurance, and financial services to over-50s, is seeking to exploit a “gap in the market” and build a “superbrand for older people” by [...]
Insurers falling short in modelling cyber and natural catastrophe risks, Bank of England warns January 23, 2023 The UK’s insurance regulator has called on insurers to bolster their cyber and natural catastrophe risk modelling capabilities in preparation for a period of “high volatility and uncertainty”. In a letter sent to UK insurance companies today, the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), which sits within the Bank of England, warned insurers models are continuing to [...]
Aviva is ‘very happy’ with UK’s post-Brexit Solvency II reforms, top exec says January 22, 2023 Aviva is “very happy” with the current state of the UK’s plans to overturn the EU rules that govern the amounts of capital insurers must hold on their balance sheets, one of the firm’s top execs told City A.M. Adam Winslow, the chief executive of Aviva’s UK & Ireland general insurance business, said Aviva is [...]
Saga looks to sell off insurance business to help pay down £721m debt January 22, 2023 Saga is reportedly seeking to sell its in-house insurance business in a bid to raise £90m to help pay down its huge £721m debt. The London-listed company, which offers cruises, package holidays, insurance, and financial services to the over-50s, is looking for buyers for its underwriting arm, according to The Sunday Times. Any sale of [...]
Lloyd’s of London boomers told to move aside and listen to millennials January 19, 2023 Lloyd’s of London must make sure millennials and zoomers are playing a part in creating the marketplace’s future, the trade body that represents Lloyd’s insurers has said. In a new manifesto, the London and International Insurance Brokers’ Association (LIIBA) called for a return to the underwriting room, as it argued younger generations will be vital [...]
UK law firms plunged into bankruptcy by soaring insurance premiums January 17, 2023 Dozens of UK law firms have collapsed into bankruptcy over the last year due to being unable to obtain the insurance policies they need to continue operating, new research shows. The rising cost of taking out professional indemnity insurance (PII) policies – that cover any losses arising from negligent services – caused nine UK [...]
Pensions: Specialist insurer PIC strikes £400m Amey deal after £600m House of Fraser buy-in January 16, 2023 The specialist insurer that bought out House of Fraser’s pensions fund for £600m last year has completed a £400m deal to take over UK engineering firm Amey’s retirement scheme. Pension Insurance Corporation’s (PIC’s) deal will see the firm take responsibility for paying out 3,473 pensions, covering £400m worth of liabilities. Bulk purchase annuity (BPA) deals [...]
Direct Line chief rushes to calm investors after shares collapse January 15, 2023 Direct Line’s share price “doesn’t reflect the intrinsic value of the company,” the insurer’s chief executive Penny James has said, after shares in the firm plummeted last week. In an interview with The Times, James instead said Direct Line still has “huge earnings potential” as she said she feels “very positive about the future prospects”. [...]