In Brief

Phone Quoteline for quick cover

Letsure, the specialist insurer for landlords and tenants, has launched Quoteline to enable its agents and their clients to arrange household and legal cover over the telephone.Letsure personnel will complete all administration, issuing a Certificate of Insurance on the spot, if required. If immediate cover is not needed, a copy of the proposal can be sent out within 48 hours.

Web of small biz insurance

HSBC Select has launched a website to sell small business insurance.The interactive site includes a quotation service from a panel of insurers, premium collection and online claims settlement. It initially offers cover for commercial property, including retail, office, let properties and block of flats. But more facilities will be added later this year.The site can be found at: www.totalinsurance.co.uk.

fe3 freely brokers mortgage service

Hanley Building Society and Mortgage Next are launching a free mortgage brokerage service, called fe3, that will offer mortgage products direct to customers from a wide range of lenders.

Primary wins big travel deal

Primary Insurance Group has clinched contracts to provide travel insurance cover to both the Portman Building Society and the financial online intermediary, the eXchange. Primary is one of the top ten travel insurer players with an annual turnover in excess of £40m.

QBE raises bid for Limit

In our story ‘QBE's raising the stakes in Limit bid' (IT June 15), we stated that Wellington Underwriting has offered Lloyd's insurer Limit 133.5p cash for each of its shares plus convertible loan stock. The actual offer was either 133.5p per Limit share in cash or 100p in cash plus nominal of convertible.

Soccer hero talks for kids

England soccer hero Nobby Stiles will be guest speaker at Yorkshire broker Smart & Cook's inaugural children's charity fundraising dinner. The 1966 World Cup winner will divulge his footballing anecdotes and bootroom stories at Leeds United Banqueting Suite on Thursday, 2 November 2000.

Internet shop gets a boost

ALLIANZ Cornhill is supporting a new internet-based electrical retailer thought to be one of the first to offer free extended warranties on all its goods. The Helpful Home Shopping Company expects to be able to offer huge savings because it will not have the overheads of a high street shop network. The company aims to offer its customers a free three-year guarantee on all its top branded white and brown goods, when rivals free warranties usually last one year.

Dream boats ready to sail

The ‘Lutine Lineslip Regatta', a new international sailing series for the insurance industry, has attracted 15 entries for its inaugural event on the 14 to 16 July at Yarmouth. Boating internet company ‘sailthatdream.com' has stepped in to sponsor the event and will provide the trophy.

Three makes the merger

In last week's Insurance Times it was reported that Lloyd's had approved the merger of two syndicates when it should have been three. Syndicates 902, 1141, and 2001 – which are all managed by Amlin Underwriting Limited will make the merged syndicate. The combined syndicate will trade as Syndicate 2001 with effect from the 2001 year of account onwards.

Medical group to the four

Medical examinations group Medicals Direct raised £100,000 after selling 444,444 new shares to brokerage and IFA, Berkeley Morgan. Medicals Direct specialises in the provision of medical examinations for around 30 life and motor insurers.It has also developed an online underwriting system linked to its national medical evidence gathering network. The system facilitates underwriting decisions on long term care, critical illness and term assurance.

Lawyers have alternative

The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and the Forum of Insurance Lawyers has unveiled a joint initiative to create approved lists of Alternative Dispute Resolution Lawyers. It came after both bodies made representations to the Civil Justice Council ADR sub-committee for greater use of ADR in settling complex, multi-track claims.

New rules to fight stress

The Health and Safety Commission is to tackle workplace stress through new standards agreed with employers by Autumn. It follows three years of research and consultations.

Unum system gets upgraded

Giant income protection insurer Unum this week announced major modifications to its intermediary sales system, ProductPartner 2.2. The system was launched in 1998 featuring a needs analysis module, email brochure request facility and premium illustrations. It will be possible to complete applications on PCs and email them direct to Unum.

Chief Ken is retiring

Ken Braithwaite, senior director of Willett Ross & Linthorpe Insurance Brokers in Eaglescliffe, Stockton-on-Tees, is retiring in June after 26 years. He previously worked with Sun Alliance Group as an inspector in Middlesborough and joined the then Linthorpe Insurance Brokers in 1974.

No smoke without fire

The availability of cheap smoke detectors has not curbed a rise in the number of house fires. A record 600 died as a result of domestic fires last year, 75% of which occurred in the kitchen.
The Home Office says most fires were in homes without smoke alarms.