All Backchat articles – Page 23
-
BackchatGetting the full Monte
?To Monte Carlo where the insurance and reinsurance sectors were out in force for late nights of champagne, canapés and….yet more champagne. The lavish Aon party had live music, disco dancing, and mini shepherd pies,while the even more lavish Dubai Development Corporation boasted vodka ice bars, fire-eating magicians and violinists ...
-
BackchatEditor’s XI slumps at the kick-off
?Insurance Times editor Tom Broughton finally unveiled his starting team for the QBE sponsored fantasy football tournament which kicked off this weekend. Broughton’s team, known as the Editor’s XI, didn’t quite perform as he expected and is currently ranked in a lowly 1,250th spot in the overall league table, a ...
-
Backchat
Treason cover needed
?The Prince of Wales was very positive about the insurance industry’s attempts to tackle climate change at last week’s ABI conference, when he gave a speech praising the industry. But not all participants were impressed by the Prince’s motorcade and chauffeur driven car waiting for him outside. John Coldman, chairman ...
-
Backchat
Champs and chumps in Kart classic
?The changes were quite literally ringing at the fifth Insurance Endurance Go-Kart challenge, held last week in the hallowed confines of Daytona, Milton Keynes. While Lamp Insurance eventually edged Sagicor for the chequered flag, Backchat spies (ideally positioned at the back-end of the starting grid) observed that some teams were ...
-
BackchatWe’ll look after Biba’s beaver
?Backchat is always delighted to receive goodies in the mail, but was disappointed to learn that its latest acquisition – a stray beaver named Hairy – was strictly not for office use. It is believed that the stuffed rodent was sent from Biba House after a recent ...
-
Backchat
Party time heats up
?Politicians are all too well known for talking a lot of hot air, so the country is bracing itself for a touch of global warming as the autumn party conference season kicks off. According to the boffins at Royal & SunAlliance, bike-riding Conservative leader David Cameron is set to be ...
-
Backchat
Go north for strong language
Employees are shunning political correctness by giggling at racist and sexist jokes and swearing or engaging in sexual banter, according to an investigation led by specialist insurer, Hiscox.The worst offenders are 25-34 year-olds with over three quarters (78%) swearing in the workplace and 71% thinking up nicknames for their colleagues. ...
-
Backchat
Dozing drivers dodge crashes
?Backchat has learned of the shocking statistic that 2.3 million drivers have admitted falling asleep at the wheel. And apparently, opening the window or listening to the radio won’t help them wake up.Thankfully, only 96 fatal crashes a year are attributed to sleepy drivers…which begs the question, what on earth ...
-
Backchat
No faith in nun's claim
?Perhaps the nun was counting on divine intervention when she left her keys in the ignition of her car and the engine running on a London street while delivering cakes for charity.But no such blessing was bestowed upon her when the busy nun on the run returned to the place ...
-
Backchat
Trim Chillie orders us to go Danish
?Backchat noticed that Benfield chief executive Grahame Chilton was looking sprightly last week, having lost an estimated 150lb in weight. However, his dieting tips to hacks at a press briefing left a lot to be desired. “Nobody is leaving this room until they eat one of those,” he said, pointing ...
-
Backchat
Driven to distraction
?Reams of research reports pass across Backchat’s desk, some more surprising than others. This week, Norwich Union helpfully informed us that drivers can be distracted by crying babies, fighting children and barking dogs. Not to mention the revelation that one in four drivers has taken his eyes off the road ...
-
Backchat
Drama as IFB foots The Bill
The press machine surrounding the much trumpeted Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) finally hit the jackpot last week after the organisation was featured as part of a key storyline in the prime time TV show, The Bill. Well known insurance scams such as ‘crash for cash’ and ‘car ringing’ were unearthed ...
-
Backchat
Baloney back on the menu
?The saga of Barney Baloney the clown has taken another twist following the news that Croydon broker Hencilla has sensationally granted the catastrophic comedian public liability (PL) insurance. Commentators were worried that Tesco had blown the incident – which saw Barney being barred on the grounds that his peanuts were ...
-
Backchat
Smart & Cook's canine acquisition
?Backchat was amused to see this latest shot of Smart & Cook chief executive Paul Meehan.Dismissing wags’ suggestions that these were the broker’s latest acquisitions, Backchat was heartened to discover that the company was adopting the puppies – appropriately named Smartie and Cookie – as part of a fund raising ...
-
Backchat
Hodson steers Oval to victory
?Despite the mouthful, Backchat was delighted to hear that Oval had become the 2007 Cricket World Spirit Of Commerce 20/20 champions. Though its case was helped somewhat by the involvement of the broker’s chief executive – and former Yorkshire county cricketer – Phillip Hodson, he was mysteriously absent from the ...
-
Backchat
FSA ready to find travel tricks
The Treasury’s decision to regulate the sale of travel insurance by travel agents appears to have been justified if research from Sainsbury’s Bank is anything to go by. The survey found that in the past 12 months up to 3.56 million people have fallen victim to dubious sales practices when ...
-
Backchat
Keith blows his cover
After the furore over the Rolling Stones’ flouting the smoking ban at the O2 gig last week, Backchat was left mulling over the insurance implications of Keith Richard’s fag habit.Had the arena burned down as a result of Keef’s ciggie-smoking antics, would the venue’s insurers still have footed the bill? ...
-
Backchat
Athletes covered for Nessie sighting
?The participants in an impending duathlon – that’s 10km run and 20km cycle ride to you and I – to be held north of the border are taking no chances. While these hardened athletes are prepared to risk life and limb on the windy Scottish shores, they are insured – ...
-
Backchat
Biba's beaver grabs spotlight
In between lengthy discussions of regulation, consolidation and more regulation at Biba House, Backchat’s otherwise unflinching attention was diverted by a cunningly placed cuddly rodent. Biba, in fact, is bristling with beavers. Attempts to steal the toys – playfully emblazoned with words like “nice” and “kinky” – were uncerem-oniously thwarted. ...
-
Backchat
Rugby stars moving from the scrum to the ruck and maul of insurance
It is fascinating how the world of rugby is contributing towards the insurance industry. In the past few weeks Aon has appointed ex-Glasgow Hawks rugby star Cameron Little as business development consultant, which comes on the back of Welsh rugby legend Ieuan Evans being appointed as non-executive director of Welsh ...
