Articles by Harry Curtis
Intervene in contingency market by January to save 2021 events, government told
An open letter asking for the UK government to underwrite a Covid-19 contingency insurance product has been described as “a last throw of the dice” to save the 2021 entertainment and sporting calendar by one of the campaign’s architects.
Alarm sounded on bookings business that sold unauthorised Covid cancellation cover
The Financial Conduct Authority has issued a warning against a bookings software provider that marketed a cancellation insurance product to owners of UK holiday lets, following an investigation by Post.
FCA consults on proving presence of Covid-19 for BI claims
The Financial Conduct Authority has launched a consultation on guidance to policyholders, insurers and intermediaries on how the presence of Covid-19 in a particular area may be proved for the purposes of business interruption claims.
Co-op and Markerstudy: A deal 22 months in the making
Late on 25 November, the Prudential Regulation Authority and Financial Conduct Authority at last approved Markerstudy’s takeover of the Co-op’s underwriting business – 675 days on from when the deal was first announced.
Debenhams policies unscathed by chain's collapse, says Somerset Bridge
Insurance policies sold by Somerset Bridge through an affinity deal with Debenhams will be left by unscathed by the high street retailer’s collapse, the broker’s CEO Liz Bilney has told Post.
Interview: Julian James, Sompo International
Sompo International’s international insurance CEO Julian James sat down for a ‘virtual chinwag’ with Harry Curtis to talk returning from retirement, the business’s Lloyd’s exit and brand ambitions, the hardening market and ‘Armageddon scenarios’.
FCA's product governance proposals could have longer term impact than price walking ban
Proposed changes to the Financial Conduct Authority’s product governance rules could prove to have a greater long-term impact than the regulator’s prospective price walking ban, consumer research and compliance experts have said.
Q&A: Louise O'Shea, Confused
Louise O'Shea, CEO of Confused, spoke to Post about the comparison site's recent profits, its growth ambitions and what the FCA's pricing proposals will mean for consumers.
Lloyd's Brexit transfer of EEA business approved by High Court
Lloyd’s has received final approval from the High Court to transfer policies covering risks and policyholders in the European Economic Area to its Belgian subsidiary, Lloyd’s Europe.
Insurers told soul-searching, not superficial projects, will improve industry's reputation
Insurance companies must ensure they are “purpose-led” in order to restore the sector’s reputation, Blueprint for Better Business CEO Chris Wookey told members of the Worshipful Company of Insurers last week.
Lloyd's Brexit transfer decision expected next week after objection-free hearing
Lloyd’s is set to learn whether or not the High Court will approve a Brexit-necessitated transfer of European policies to its Belgian subsidiary next week, following the conclusion of a two-day sanctions hearing on Thursday.
Lloyd's faces 'lose-lose scenario' if High Court rejects Brexit transfer
Lloyd’s could face a “lose-lose scenario” of having to choose between not paying claims or risking regulatory or criminal sanctions, if a proposed transfer of European policies to its Brussels subsidiary is not approved today.
Local coronavirus cases did not cause national lockdown, BI insurers tell Supreme Court
The Supreme Court heard arguments from lawyers representing QBE, Argenta and MS Amlin on Monday as insurers began their appeal of the September judgment handed down in the Financial Conduct Authority’s business interruption test case.
Sompo's Lloyd’s exit about us, not them: international insurance CEO Julian James
Sompo’s decision, announced in April, to walk away from Lloyd’s at the end of this year was driven by the insurer’s ambitions rather than reservations about the Lloyd’s market itself, Sompo international insurance CEO Julian James has said.
Covéa fined €20m by Paris court in civil suit with Scor
Covéa and its CEO and chairman Thierry Derez have been fined €20.1m (£17.9m) by a Paris court for a breach of legal and fiduciary duties and obligations on the part of Derez in his role as a director of Scor.
Warranty insurer must pay £11,700 for discrimination against depressed employee
Structural defects warranty insurance provider MD Insurance Services has been ordered to pay £11,700 to an employee suffering with depression who, an employment tribunal ruled, had been treated unfavourably by the company.
Zurich and Scor face $18m High Court claim from Experian
Zurich and Scor face an $18m (£13.7m) legal claim from consumer credit reporting company Experian, relating to a layer of excess of loss cover underwritten by the two insurers that was in place between 2015 and 2016.
Lloyd's changes tack on digital placement plans as it lays out two-year modernisation agenda
Lloyd’s has revised its intention to build two electronic placement platforms as part of its programme to modernise and cut costs in the market.
Hyperion rebrands as Howden Group Holdings
Hyperion Insurance Group has changed its name to Howden Group Holdings and will rename businesses that bear the Hyperion name with immediate effect.
Insurers criticised for furlough payment deductions from BI claims
Insurers have been accused of “banking government money to reduce their loss by increasing the policyholder loss” as they faced criticism for deducting furlough payments from the value of business interruption claims.
Q&A: Brendan Cox, Survivors Against Terror
Brendan Cox, who co-founded Survivors Against Terror following the murder of his wife Jo Cox MP in 2016, recently appeared at the International Forum of Terrorism Risk Insurance Pools conference to discuss the systems through which victims of terror are…
Interim payments expected for BI policyholders with Marsh-authored RSA wording
Some businesses with policies that employ a Marsh wording can expect interim payments “imminently” following RSA’s decision not to appeal a High Court judgment, which found it provided cover for disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Analysis: FCA takes the ‘nuclear option’ on dual pricing
In September, the Financial Conduct Authority published its long-awaited final report on pricing practices in the home and motor insurance markets, putting forward a package of measures that its interim CEO described as “probably the most radical shake…
Big three brokers' Q3 results hold steady in face of Covid-19
The financial performance of the world’s three largest broking firms held steady in the third quarter of 2020 leading executives to hail strong results achieved in spite of the pressures of the Covid-19 pandemic.