Tough talk begins over TRIA renewal
27 May 2013
With a key piece of post-September 11 legislation nearing expiration, a war of words has broken out in the US over the future of terrorism insurance…
Analysis
Another set of standards, and more costs for insurers
20 May 2013
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority wants to make risk management in the financial services industry easier by having the same rules across general and life insurers and the banks…
The ups and downs of premiums
13 May 2013
Reports commenting on premium rates are often seen as primarily reflecting the publishers’ best interests. When brokers predict falling rates in a hardening market, insurers can be guaranteed to accuse them of viewing the market through rose-tinted spectacles…
Builders’ warranty: an insurance market failure?
06 May 2013
The builders’ warranty insurance market is a confusing party that few insurers want to attend…
Brokers keep faith in the indirect route
29 April 2013
Recent surveys warning brokers of the dangers posed by an increasing SME movement to the direct market are nothing new…
No let-up in the regulatory squeeze
22 April 2013
Insurers in the Asia-Pacific region face more scrutiny from regulators this year – and the pressure will not ease, according to a report obtained by insuranceNEWS.com.au…
Climate change: a catalyst for extreme weather
15 April 2013
Climate change is already having an impact on extreme weather events in Australia – and scientists warn worse is still to come…
Brokers sweat over rising premiums
08 April 2013
Rising premiums are the biggest external concern for brokers, according to the first Lumley Insurance Benchmark broker survey…
Affordability: the elephant in the room
25 March 2013
For all of the Government’s recent announcements on mitigation works and flood cover, the issue of short-term affordability of insurance remains unsolved…
Younger business-owners pose a problem for brokers
18 March 2013
Brokers must better promote their value or risk losing SME clients, particularly the under-40s and women, a new report warns…
More regulation is coming, and it’s unstoppable
11 March 2013
The insurance industry faces a storm of regulation coming from abroad, along with local pressure from governments over the affordability of cover and discrimination based on risk…
Mitigation funding isn’t all it’s cracked up to be
04 March 2013
While on the surface the Federal Government’s commitment to flood mitigation funding seems to answer some prayers for the insurance industry, it may turn out to be a case of being careful what you wish for…
North Queenslanders caught in a downward spiral
25 February 2013
A spate of natural disasters in north Queensland, from Cyclone Larry in 2006 to Cyclone Yasi in 2011, has really only affected southern Australians via the rising price of bananas…
Why truck crashes are down but premiums are rising
18 February 2013
The past five years have seen enormous progress in reducing fatal truck accidents, with deaths from heavy vehicle crashes down 20%…
Weather woes make La Niña the girl to watch
11 February 2013
Long before sophisticated measuring tools and satellite feeds, it was fishermen off the west coast of Ecuador and Peru who first noticed rising sea temperatures at year’s end…
General Insurance Code of Practice review: key points
04 February 2013
Submissions in response to the issues paper produced by Ian Enright’s review of the General Insurance Code of Practice have begun to emerge…
The distribution and competition pincer grip
10 December 2012
A crackdown by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission on insurance price comparison sites will please insurers but carries an implicit warning to the industry on the growing role of aggregators…
Insurance industry must prepare for class actions: Finity
03 December 2012
The insurance industry is under-prepared for the effects of class actions, which are likely to grow in size and number…
Courts coming down on the side of ex-employers
26 November 2012
Brokers have made it clear they will take legal action against former employees who they believe may try to poach clients – and court decisions this year have tended to favour the employers…
A long wait for a short reply on flood report
19 November 2012
Nine months after the Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry made its final report on the floods of late 2010 and early last year, the Federal Government has finally delivered its response…