In brief

ABI post not filled
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) is still interviewing for its recently advertised head of tax and regulation vacancy.

The role, believed to be offering £100,000-plus, will report directly to ABI director general Mary Francis and include the management of ten people.

It will involve lobbying the government, regulators and the media and ensuring the ABI is recognised as an authority on tax and financial issues within the insurance industry.

The new appointment will replace David Leighton, who retired this year.

AIG team
AIG Europe (UK) has put seven new underwriters on its financial lines team at Lloyd's.

AIG's Lloyd's operations corporate manager Matthew Carr will lead the team, which comprises management liability, crime, financial institutions and professional indemnity experts.

AIG's financial lines director Kelly Lyles said the team had been expanded to reflect the increased level of demand at Lloyd's.

The team is based at Gallery 3, box 361.

PWC pays bonuses
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) has paid almost all of the £1,000 bonuses promised to staff who remained at Independent Insurance's run-off company.

A PWC spokeswoman said the bonuses to about 600 staff were introduced to ensure the initial run-off period went smoothly.

She said staff were not required to sign loyalty agreements to get the bonuses.

Defence for Brights
Lawyers filed a defence in the High Court on Monday against NatWest's attempts to recover £290,000 from ex-Independent Insurance chief executive Michael Bright's wife Katie.

NatWest is suing over a joint loan account in both of the Brights' names.

Bright's bankruptcy trustee, Phillip Sykes of Moore Stephens, said Katie Bright could become one of her husband's creditors if she paid the NatWest debt.