We are constantly bombarded with advice from the major insurers that motor insurance is a sector that intermediaries should strictly avoid as it is unprofitable.
They suggest we should move onto specialist niche markets in order to survive in the industry. Unfortunately, all the market signals indicate the opposite.
We are in a soft cycle and, regrettably, so are the brains of business development executives at all the major insurance companies.Yet again, they are falling over themselves, with blank cheques in hand, to support another foray into insurance by a High Street retailer.
The newest and most recent member of this group is the Post Office.
The objections against the Post Office using its monopoly position with regard to road tax issuing to sell motor insurance has been surprisingly subdued. Yet, it is happily using its unfair advantage to take business from right under our noses.
What astounds me more is that if motor insurance is so unprofitable why are such organisations so desperate to write this class of business?
What makes the situation unfair is that most vehicle owners' road tax expires about the time their motor insurance renewal is due, hence they are ripe for the picking.
Is this a conspiracy by the insurers to take brokers out of the equation altogether?
Just as I thought it could not get any worse, I have been informed that Barclays is now selling motor insurance, promising to match any price in the market and in addition, credit your bank account with £50.
Name and address withheld
