All News Analysis articles
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News AnalysisHow did they get away with it?
The shady dealings of brokers Ideal Insurance forced at least one customer into near bankruptcy, but the most startling twist in the tale is the FSA’s inability to act on tip-offs about the firm for over a year, and the ease with which a broker with a prison record could ...
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News Analysis
The luck of the Irish?
The collapse 12 months ago of Quinn sent shudders through the British and Irish insurance sectors. But, as the fate of the beleaguered firm remains uncertain, it seems brokers and insurers have escaped relatively unscathed
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News Analysis
Double or nothing
Taxpayer-subsidised NIG has been accused of recklessly undercutting its rivals with a controversial guarantee to beat the prices of 15 rival insurers. Critics warn that such tactics not only hurt insurers’ bottom line, but prolong a soft market for all
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News Analysis
Chasing Chaucer
With its combination of strong assets and low running costs, the Lloyd’s insurer has been pursued by everybody from Brit to Vladimir Putin. Now Guy Hands’ Terra Firma looks set to pounce
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News Analysis
Fair Fees: The big squeeze
General insurance brokers are being rinsed for funds to compensate for the staggering rise in customer complaints about mis-sold payment protection insurance, and it doesn’t look like the FSA is likely to solve the problem any time soon
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News Analysis
Q4 blip should not dampen hope of more deals in 2011
There’s no reason why activity should not pick up, despite a disappointing end to last year
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News Analysis
High street bullies
Brokers have broken ranks and complained to the FSA that banks are playing dirty and poaching their clients in a bid to sell their own insurance services. Seems pretty clear-cut. Or is it?
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News Analysis
FSA: the final judgment
It’s almost at the end of its life, but the FSA has used the past couple of years to leave a lasting mark on the financial community. So how long will this tough era last?
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Features
Rising again …
… Inflation, that is. And with it comes escalating premiums, expensive claims, devalued investments and rising operating costs. But who is going to feel its grip the worst?
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News Analysis
Hunting season
With opportunities for organic growth thin on the ground, big insurers with excess capital are on the prowl for smaller firms to snap up. The sector could be in for a feeding frenzy this year
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News Analysis
Going for brokers
As 2011 kicks off, brokers are talking big on acquisition plans. But after years of consolidation, what’s left to buy? Here’s a look at five businesses that would be on every chief exec’s wish list – whether they’re selling or not
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News Analysis
The foreseeable future
As we embark on another new year, the likes of a crystal ball would be pretty useful. But how about the next best thing? We asked a selection of the industry’s key players for their predictions for 2011
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News Analysis
Left out in the cold
The need to tighten belts is prompting a worrying number of UK households to strike insurance from their Christmas shopping lists, leaving the already vulnerable at greater financial risk. Are insurers in a position to help this lost generation, and could this be a market worth tapping?
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News Analysis
Strong arm tactics?
With its new charging structure and GRIP technology platform, Aon is seen by many as the bully boy of the market – but isn’t it simply a case of a broker flexing its muscles to get a bit more out of a tough climate?
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News Analysis
The monster PPO claims are coming …
The little man trying in vain to battle the unstoppable monster is a staple of the horror movie genre. But insurers could be about to face their own nightmare: claims inflation
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News Analysis
Who do they think they are?
The BBC did Boris Johnson and Stephen Fry. Now, Insurance Times delves into the roots of today’s insurance giants
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News Analysis
Captain of industry
Admiral Group has defied a tough economy and industry woes, posting solid results and enjoying a stellar rise in share price. But as rivals question its methods and analysts probe its strategy, how long can the company stay on an even keel?
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News Analysis
Acturis quarterly rates index reveals pricing squeeze
Commercial premiums show shrinkage in commercial combined, packages and liability indices
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News Analysis
Ready, aim ... FSA
As regulators get to work on the largest brokers, consolidator chiefs bemoan the greater pressure and demand for detail in the latest inspections. But is greater scrutiny of smaller brokers the answer?
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News Analysis
Breaking the bank
The UK private motor market has taken some heavy losses during the last year, and insurers have had to adapt accordingly. But as prior-year reserves dry out, is there even more trouble ahead?
