Insurance Times rounds up the biggest exclusive stories from 26 to 29 August 2025
Starting the week, greenwashing took centre stage as representatives of the industry debated the reputational, regulatory and liability risks now facing insurance.
From FCA enforcement to shareholder litigation, contributors warned that overstated ESG credentials could undermine trust and even trigger professional negligence claims.
Meanwhile, fresh analysis of the UK commercial lines market offered some optimism for brokers. The latest edition of the Insurance Times Commercial Lines Premium Index – produced in association with Open GI – showed that while rates continued to fall in Q2 2025, the pace of softening slowed significantly.
After three consecutive quarters of declines, Open GI director Nick Giddings told George McDade that the data may signal the bottom of the market cycle – though Axa’s David Ovenden cautioned that meaningful hardening was unlikely before 2026.
Leadership and succession challenges then came into focus. With industry debate often centring on attracting young talent, the latest In Focus special examined whether the development of mid-level managers into c-suite leaders had been overlooked.
Zurich UK’s Steve Collinson stressed the importance of investing in mid-level leaders, while SRG’s Joanne Wright highlighted the benefits of structured programmes. And Empower Development’s Antonia Roberts called for mentoring and cross-functional experience.
Later in the week, subsidence claims data underlined the growing urgency of climate resilience. ABI figures showed that insurers paid out £153m for subsidence losses in the first half of 2025, with the average claim topping £17,000 – more than double the previous year’s quarterly totals.
In response, Axa UK renewed its call for the government to appoint a minister for resilience, warning that climate-linked perils such as extreme heat, flooding and ground movement require a coordinated national approach. The ABI echoed that property resilience must become a priority across housing policy and construction.
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