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”. [...]
FCA to expand guidance for insurers on protecting cash-strapped customers January 11, 2023 The City watchdog has vowed to update guidance for insurers on protecting customers amid the UK’s cost-of-living crisis. The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) today set out plans to expand guidance, which was first introduced during the pandemic, to ensure all struggling customers are protected. Under the FCA’s proposed new guidance, insurers will be [...]
Direct Line shares plummet after insurer scraps 2022 dividend January 11, 2023 Shares in Direct Line plummeted today after the insurer said it expects to scrap its 2022 dividend due to facing a “challenging and volatile operating environment in the fourth quarter”. The insurance company said its board “no longer expects to declare a final dividend for 2022” due to it facing a series of challenges related [...]
UK insurance: shares in Aviva and Admiral shrug off Bank of England’s warnings of a ‘prolonged’ recession in the sector January 10, 2023 The UK’s insurance companies were told to brace themselves for a “prolonged” recession by boosting their risk management processes, the Bank of England (BoE) has said in a letter to sector CEOs. In a letter to insurance chief executives, the BoE’s insurance watchdog warned that various risks might stem from the downturn as it called [...]