Warranty probe
Four insurance companies are to be scrutinised by the Competition Commission following allegations over the sale of extended warranties on domestic electrical goods.
The move to investigate Allianz Cornhill, Landmark, Pinnacle and London General along with the Dixon Group follows an Office of Fair Trading report that claimed a "scale monopoly" existed in the sale of electrical warranties in high street stores.
Risk consultancy
Alexander Forbes Risk Services UK has launched an independent consultancy division, AFP Consulting.
The new division will offer advice on risk issues affecting professional services companies, particularly law firms.
FM Global reports
FM Global, the commercial and industrial property insurer, reported its best operating year to date.
But the group's surplus increased by only 4.7%.
Net income increased to $244m (£155m) in 2002, against a net loss of $132m (£84m) in 2001. Pre-tax operating income increased to $524m (£332m) in 2002, against a net loss of $350m (£222m) in 2001.
Poole leaves AXA
AXA property book head Andy Poole, is to join broker Stuart Alexander as group sales director on 1 July.
Stuart Alexander group operations director, Graham Coates said Poole, who heads up AXA's largest and most profitable commercial lines book, will be responsible for developing Stuart Alexander's property business as well as growing high net worth clients, schemes and new products.
Good employers
The insurance industry has performed strongly in The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For survey. Five
companies appeared in the top 50, including one in the top ten.
Lloyd's insurer Hiscox was rated the best company in the insurance sector, and come tenth overall.
