Howden’s revenues jump 60 per cent as insurance broker looks to capitalise on ‘very turbulent’ market January 30, 2023 Insurance broker Howden today posted “record” results for 2022, reporting a 60 per cent increase in revenue, with its chief executive adding that the firm was primed to further profit from the economic uncertainty heading into 2023. The insurance broker’s chief executive David Howden told City A.M. has said the London firm is primed to [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
London’s unicorns: City’s tech start-ups are bringing in the big bucks December 21, 2022 London’s tech start-ups have had a turbulent 2022. But while some of the original tech players in the city have struggled with rising costs and depleting revenues, newer unicorns are making moves. Here are the five London start-ups that made their mark this year, and are to be watched out for in 2023. OakNorth Valued [...]
Car premiums increase 17.4 per cent after FCA price walking ban December 20, 2022 The average car premium has soared 17.4 per cent in the past year, according to recent research. Data published today by market researcher Consumer Intelligence shows that average premiums now cost £877, surpassing by 6.7 per cent current inflation rates. According to senior insight analyst Georgia Day, the unsurprising surge has been driven by the [...]
Calvin Lo interview: Billionaire on finding a way into Formula 1 December 14, 2022 Hong Kong businessman and billionaire Calvin Lo wants to deepen his roots in Formula 1. The Michael Schumacher fanboy is the latest wealthy individual looking at the motor racing circus that is F1 as a major sporting investment. “If whoever comes in plays their cards right, there are lots of opportunities,” Lo told City A.M. [...]