What is there to complain about this week?

Gilt trip

Solvency II could push up the cost of insurance by forcing insurers to buy EU gilts rather than alternative investments, the Bank for International Settlements has warned. The bank is concerned that political unease over sovereign debt could prompt the European Commission to use Solvency II to raise the amount of risky government debt investments they must hold.

It’s no accident

Around 1.3 million drivers would consider making a fraudulent insurance claim, according to a new survey by the website moneysupermarket.com. According to the poll, one in 20 younger drivers have either staged or invented an accident to claim compensation.

Crime of the times

The British Crime Survey’s finding that there is no evidence that the recession has had an impact on overall crime figures has been queried by Legal & General. The authoritative government survey of crime showed a 14% rise in burglary over the past year.

Vote of no confidence

Small and medium-sized enterprises’ confidence is at rock bottom, according to a survey by Aviva, with one in 10 fearing that they will go out of business by the end of the year. The latest bi-annual Pulse from Aviva found just 13% of SMEs expect the economy to improve in 2011.