Record temperatures trail a blaze
08 September 2014
Last year was Australia’s warmest on record, and we could be about to pay the price for it…
Analysis
Broker groups: similar problems, diverse solutions
01 September 2014
There were some common themes in the profit announcements from Steadfast and Austbrokers last week…
The rise and rise of challenger brands
25 August 2014
The growth of the so-called challenger brands is set to accelerate further, according to actuarial consultancy Finity…
Out of the frying pan...
18 August 2014
Toxic infant formula and deadly rockmelons are among the high-profile contamination threats sounding alarm bells for companies involved in the increasingly complex…
Peak profitability: nearing the final whistle
11 August 2014
The peak profitability game appeared to be up for Australian general insurers last year – before falling reinsurance rates sent it into extra time…
Mountain fires serve up a hot potato
04 August 2014
Recent bushfires and floods have shown not only how little homeowners know about their insurance coverage, but also how uninformed they are about underinsurance…
Disaster resilience: talk is cheap, but it’s better than nothing
28 July 2014
They’re the kind of figures that might make Treasurer Joe Hockey sit up and take notice…
Inquiry stirs the comparison controversy
21 July 2014
Last week the Australian Financial System Inquiry (FSI) flagged measures to expand the use of insurance comparison websites, just as the UK Financial Conduct Authority…
A brave new world
14 July 2014
Swiss Re’s latest study of emerging risks paints a grim picture that wouldn’t be out of place in a dystopian novel…
Code of practice: a new set of dentures
07 July 2014
With Sydney Harbour sparkling and the canapes circulating, the launch of the revised General Insurance Code of Practice last week was never going to be short of glitz and gloss…
Climate change: a royal action plan
30 June 2014
The global insurance industry got its marching orders on climate change last week from an international figure whose opinions often provoke controversy…
A flood of mitigating circumstances
23 June 2014
The classic dilemma with flood insurance is that people with no risk don’t want to pay for cover, raising the cost for the small proportion of those at risk, who then can’t afford it…
Turfed out by the body corporate
16 June 2014
There is no rule to stop a body corporate manager dealing directly with an insurer and cutting out insurance brokers – but brokers say it is often done without consulting the…
Queensland crisis: the tip of the iceberg
10 June 2014
Insurance problems in cyclone-prone northern Queensland may be the canary in the coalmine for wider issues facing Australia, as risks from extreme weather increase over coming decades…
Snowball shows steel in his multi-brand journey
02 June 2014
Having a portfolio of brands under a larger umbrella brand is a tried and true business model, but it’s not one for the faint-hearted…
Insurers put governments in shade on climate change
26 May 2014
Insurers are taking matters into their own hands on climate change issues, moving past political posturing to set themselves up to deal with volatile weather and related catastrophes…
2014 budget: a mixed bag for insurance
19 May 2014
The Federal Budget could have been worse for the insurance industry, coming as it does from a government focused on slashing costs and raising revenue. Some of the decisions outlined…
Plugging the skills gap requires flexibility
12 May 2014
Insurers and intermediaries struggling to attract suitable personnel may find the situation growing even tougher unless they become more creative in their approach to employment…
Audit Commission looks to shift the risk
05 May 2014
The National Commission of Audit report released last week has plenty to say about reducing the role of government, and its comments on risk suggest there will be a tougher line…
Competition keeps pressure on premiums
28 April 2014
The increased insurance capacity and competition that was a feature of the global market last year is showing no signs of easing, according to Aon Australia’s first-quarter report…