Comparison sites
Interview - Peter Winslow: Best at building
Backed by an armoury of well-known brands, BGL CEO Peter Winslow tells Lynn Rouse about pan-European aggregation, acquisitions and why there is plenty of life in meerkats yet.
Customer service: Customer service at risk due to desire to reduce overheads
Companies need to be alert to the danger of compromising customer service in their attempts to reduce overheads, warned David Tryon, director of client management at DST Global Solutions.
Meerkats and opera singers come under the FSA's spotlight
The FSA's announcement of guidance for aggregators when it comes to treating customers fairly in the selling of general insurance has provoked a flurry of responses from you the loyal reader. Perhaps you're tired of the large opera singer and Aleksandr…
ABI welcomes FSA aggregator guidance
The ABI has responded to the publication of the Financial Services Authority’s proposed guidance to comparison sites.
Broker focus - lead generation: follow the leader
Many brokers would not be able to survive without high volumes of lead generation but what form produces the best results? Trevor Cutts assesses the options and factors to consider.
Website Review: Confused
In the latest of its ongoing series, web performance specialist Gomez looks at Confused's website.
Go Compare slips down the rankings
Go Compare has fallen to 11th place in a study of the most visible insurance websites, published by search engine research firm Greenlight.
Interview - Mike Brockman: telematics - the future of motor insurance?
Many predict telematics will be the future of motor insurance. Mike Brockman, founder and joint chief executive of Insure the Box, talks to Lynn Rouse about his success so far.
In series - first-party fraud: keeping fraud in check
Writing quality risks in volume, while giving customers great customer service and preventing fraud, is a never-ending struggle, but new checking systems can help insurers strike the right balance, writes Graham Odiam.
Regional review - Cardiff: a sleeping dragon?
Despite being the largest city in Wales, the Cardiff insurance sector faces daunting challenges in the future. Daniel Dunkley finds out how it plans to face them.
OFT investigates Google's acquisition of Beat That Quote
An Office of Fair Trading inquiry into Google's acquisition of aggregator Beat That Quote will provide the firm's competitors with a chance to respond to market fears over the deal.
E-business: Google arrival means aggregators will have to work harder
Price comparison sites have been urged to "pedal harder" following the arrival of Google in the aggregator market.
News analysis: shaking up the aggregator market
Google buying Beat That Quote has given the aggregator market a shake-up, claims Tom Cooper, as the 10 million quotes per month barrier is broken.
Aggregators join ABI and Biba in fraud fight
Aggregators have joined forces with the Association of British Insurers and British Insurance Brokers' Association to publish new guidance on online application fraud.
Application fraud: provider info handover is 'gob-smackingly' bad
There remains a serious issue concerning the "question set mapping challenge" between insurers and aggregators. Indeed, Pinsent Masons head of insurance John Salmon told delegates that, in some cases, it is "gob-smacking how badly this is done".
Application fraud: insurers 'oblivious' to extent of issue warns IFB boss
Many insurers are totally oblivious to their exposure to application fraud, according to Insurance Fraud Bureau director Glenn Marr. And one of the prime reasons for this, he added, is its complexity and scope.
Interview - Janet Connor: targeting the over 50s demographic
Managing director of Rias Janet Connor chats to Amy Ellis about targeting the over-50s demographic, embracing aggregators and non-insurance diversification.
Rias to launch on aggregator
Over-50s insurer Rias is set to move onto aggregator websites for the first time in a bid to keep up with the competition.
Interview – Peter Halpin: keeping Swinton on the acquisition track
Swinton CEO Peter Halpin had a lot to live up to - following, as he did, in Patrick Smith’s footsteps. He talks to Leigh Jackson about taking the company forward and continuing its impressive acquisition record.
Admiral not confused over aggregator
Admiral has vowed to retain Confused, despite the aggregator’s profit falling by 54% in the past three years.
Editor’s comment: two new faces to watch
With Google this week snapping up beat that Quote for a little under £40m, and web design firm Vast Visibility simultaneously buying two specialist bike and van price comparison sites, aggregators are very much the insurance ‘buy du jour’.
Web design firm buys motor comparison sites
Insurance comparison site The Bike Insurer has been acquired by web design firm Vast Visibility, Post has learnt.
Concern over Google buying BTQ
Google intends to run Beat That Quote as a separate business in the near term, following its £37.7m acquisition of the aggregator.
Interview – Simon Douglas: the attraction of AA Insurance
Simon Douglas, director of AA insurance, previously worked in the life & pensions and private medical markets. He talks to Mairi Macdonald about what attracted him to the debt-laden business and the challenges it faces.