Opinion
Was 2024 the ‘Year of Reality Check’ for insurtechs?
Content Director's View: With territorial withdrawals and scaling back on products, Jonathan Swift asks whether 2024 represented the year the UK insurtech space got a reality check; and mulls whether a second Summer of Insurtech could soon be around the corner.
Why I’m dreaming of subsidence this Christmas
Editor’s View: Rather than our days being merry and bright, this Christmas looks set to be wet and windy rather than white, causing Emma Ann Hughes to dream of subsidence rather than snowman building this December.
Does Aviva’s move for DLG clear the path for Ageas to land Esure?
Following the news that Direct Line Group looks set to accept Aviva's £3.6bn takeover bid, Tom Luckham asks: What does this mean for the race to acquire Esure?
Hiscox’s Wrigglesworth on how to evolve an insurer’s tech estate
View from the Top: Ian Wrigglesworth, chief technology officer at Hiscox UK, considers the challenge of designing a tech strategy in a fast-changing world.
Transformative power of sport for those with life-changing injuries
The Paralympics serves as a reminder there is a real person at the end of every claim, with Kate Duffy, partner at Clyde & Co, pointing out insurers have a duty to support initiatives which aid the rehabilitation process.
Biba’s Trudgill on managing change
Trade Voice: Looking ahead to 2025, British Insurance Brokers’ Association CEO Graeme Trudgill says brokers should see enormous changes on the horizon as an opportunity rather than a threat.
All Amanda Blanc wants for Christmas is Direct Line
News editor view: Now a deal between Aviva and Direct Line Group has reached "preliminary agreement", Scott McGee looks at what the deal could mean for the future of the businesses and the wider market.
Zurich’s Collinson on adjustments for a neurodiverse workforce
View from the Top: Steve Collinson, chief HR officer at Zurich UK, shines a light on the challenges faced by neurodiverse people and outlines the adjustments the insurer is making.
Why the NHS needs cyber insurers’ help
Tom Draper, head of insurance, UK, at Coalition, explains how the NHS is vulnerable to cyber attacks and explains ways insurers can come to the rescue of the nation's healthcare provider.
McLarens warns cash-strapped councils against self-insuring social housing
As the crisis in social housing continues, Gordon Winstanley, public sector lead at McLarens, observes local authorities are looking to reduce their insurance spend but he warns this is not without risks.
Storm Bert shows insurers must demand building rules change
Editor’s View: If you want to know why people recoil, rather than embrace you, when you say you work in insurance, Emma Ann Hughes recommends you type into Google: ‘What does the insurance industry need to do about the growing number of named storms?’
Why the regulator shouldn’t be painted as a panto villain
James Daley, managing director of Fairer Finance, reacts to recent rabble rousing calls for a regulatory bonfire and urges the industry needs to get behind the watchdog rather than painting them as the panto villain.
Is a Direct Line sale an inevitability?
Briefing: Even though it said it will not “engage further” after Aviva’s takeover attempt, is a Direct Line Group sale an inevitability?
Arch’s Danskin on the power of service
View from the Top: Stuart Danskin, director of underwriting for Arch UK’s regional division, says platinum-level service shouldn’t be reserved for the largest risks and industry heavyweights.
Mandatory qualifications will safeguard the future of insurance
Given the regulator’s role in safeguarding consumers, Crescens George, CEO of Wiser Academy, wonders why the Financial Conduct Authority hasn't already stepped in to mandate higher qualification standards for the insurance sector.
Sticking to the rules is key to OIC success
Shirley Woolham, CEO of Minster Law, reflects on what the legal and insurance profession needs to do to ensure the Official Injury Claims portal delivers for claimants.
Ghost broker busting – how can they be blasted off social media?
Content Director's View: If there’s something weird selling motor cover and it don’t look good … why do so many young drivers fall for ghost brokers on social media and what can be done to bust them, asks Insurance Post's Jonathan Swift.
Axa’s Zweibrucker on why promoting road safety is essential
View from the Top: Alain Zweibrucker, CEO of Axa UK Retail, explains why the insurer called on the government to do more to promote road safety earlier this year.
How social canvassing is transforming fraud investigations
Newton Ross, chief strategy officer at Ontellus, explains how social canvassing has gone beyond spotting injured claimants engaging in extreme sports to identifying creating synthetic profiles and artificial intelligence-enabled fraud.
Mitigation for the UK’s worsening mould problem is critical
With mould remaining a major issue in the UK and expected to worsen, Alan Smith, head of mitigation at McLarens, argues it’s critical both policyholders and their insurers understand the causes of the fungi and how to address plus prevent it.
Time to talk about alienated men in insurance
Editor’s View: Ahead of International Men’s Day (19 November), Insurance Post Editor Emma Ann Hughes says it is time to recognise just because pay gap data shows they earn more than their female colleagues doesn’t mean men feel like kings of insurance in…