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…
Analysis
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…
Regulatory creep, affordability on the agenda for inquiry
14 April 2014
The insurance industry has flagged increasing regulation, state taxes and affordability as issues it wants considered by the financial system inquiry…
One big hitch? Industry questions discount campaign
07 April 2014
Consumer group One Big Switch has secured hardworking Aussies a 40% discount on home and contents policies – and that can only be a positive insurance story, can’t it?…
Don’t write off traditional media
31 March 2014
Insurers may be mistaken in directing more of their B2C [business to consumer] advertising spend to digital media…
FOFA changes: Government has a struggle on its hands
24 March 2014
Amending government legislation is not normally an exciting affair, especially if it is just about removing or correcting the odd sentence in the statute…
Brokers make progress despite headwinds
17 March 2014
Brokers are improving profitability through strong client relationships and efficiency improvements, defying a subdued economic environment, increased competition and modest…
Lloyd’s moves with the times
10 March 2014
2014 is already proving to be a big year for Lloyd’s of London. With new CEO Inga Beale installed and a new claims service launched, the 325-year-old market has given assurances it can adapt to the challenges posed by a reinsurance sector that is being flooded with new capital…
Time to walk the walk on internal shake-ups
03 March 2014
For years insurers have been talking about the work they are doing internally to slash costs and sell more business to current customers…
Reinsurance rates take a dip as capital pool swells
24 February 2014
Australian reinsurance rates are on the decline, with the flood of global reinsurance capital that has weakened international rates flowing on into this year’s renewals…
The new insurers’ code: no revolution, just evolution
17 February 2014
The latest version of the General Insurance Code of Practice – the fourth since 2006 – appears to have achieved a balance between the interests of insurers and consumers…
Storm clouds on the insurance horizon
10 February 2014
Times are changing for the insurance market in Australia…
The year ahead: plain sailing in perilous waters
03 February 2014
The Australian and New Zealand insurance industries can look forward to a profitable year, despite an increasingly complex global risk landscape that has made holistic risk management strategies essential…
Neal’s line-drawing will become a picture of recovery
16 December 2013
QBE CEO John Neal says the writedown of the group’s North American operations draws a line under the past – but can he convince investors?…
Wesfarmers and the fine art of speculation
09 December 2013
Reporting market speculation is part and parcel of a journalist’s work, but it’s an activity fraught with hazard. The lines bordering opinion and conjecture are very thin…