FOFA: Creating problems to solve a problem
02 May 2011
The Federal Government’s Future of Financial Advice reform program brings to mind the saying about a camel being a horse designed by a committee…
Analysis
State’s tender system under fire
18 April 2011
The term “sovereign risk” is usually used in relation to a government’s creditworthiness or its reliability in dealing with business fairly and equitably…
Policyholders race for cover
11 April 2011
Policyholders with small New Zealand insurer Western Pacific – now in liquidation after collapsing under the weight of Christchurch earthquake claims – and much larger insurer AMI can broadly be placed…
Lloyd’s thrives despite a spate of catastrophes
04 April 2011
In a year of catastrophes Lloyd’s has still managed to turn in a pre-tax profit of £2.19 billion ($3.4 billion) for 2010, although it was £1.6 billion ($2.4 billion) – or 43% – less than the previous year…
With nine months to go, reinsurers tremble
28 March 2011
2011 has already been a hell of a year for the global reinsurance industry. We are barely at the end of what has been an all-time, record-breaking first quarter for cat losses, which begs…
Coles makes its play in toughest market
21 March 2011
The personal lines motor market in Australia is no place for the faint-hearted…
Christchurch quake: who pays for better buildings?
14 March 2011
Better building standards and innovation in construction are saving lives in earthquakes, but they are also raising the question of how much insurers should contribute to replacement buildings…
Queensland mines in for long haul on claims
07 March 2011
The Queensland mining industry will have an estimate of flood losses this quarter, but miners still have legal action under way on insurance claims from the 2007/08 floods that could affect how…
Fortnightly premium payments – why not?
28 February 2011
Allowing consumers to pay insurance premiums fortnightly is again in the sights of Federal Government after the recent floods revived the issue of underinsurance…
Brokers still not clear of FOFA net
21 February 2011
Next year the way brokers are paid will have to change dramatically if the Federal Government gets its way with the Future of Financial Advice reforms…
Katrina solution could work in Queensland
14 February 2011
With debate in Parliament continuing to rage over the flood levy as independent senator Nick Xenophon pushes for all states to have mandatory insurance safety nets, the issue of…
Shorten sweet on boosting consumer protection
07 February 2011
Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten is a man in a hurry. The former union leader and aspiring future prime minister is eager to leave a lasting mark on his new high-profile portfolio…
Finding answers after Brisbane
31 January 2011
It’s a fact of public relations life that the bigger the population centre, the more intense and longer-lasting the media and political interest in a disaster will be…
Flood cover? The answer may be in the pool
13 December 2010
The big question on everyone’s lips this week as they sank knee deep in floodwaters across the country was, “Am I covered for this?”…
Cyber insurance stuck in a digital divide
06 December 2010
Insurers have always been adept at finding solutions to the world’s emerging risks…
Have insurers learned to tame the cycle?
29 November 2010
The insurance industry is no longer as cyclic as it used to be, according to Marsh Executive Director Scott Leney…
Is bancassurance the best answer?
22 November 2010
For the first time since its birth in the expansive 1990s, the value and probity of the banking/insurance hybrid known as bancassurance is coming in for some serious evaluation…
The rising cost of fraudulent claims
15 November 2010
Faking a bad case of whiplash might be something many think was popular during the 1980s or ’90s, but in fact it’s still running rife through the regional general insurance industry…
APRA keeps an eye on insurers
08 November 2010
The general insurance industry escaped the worst ravages of the global financial crisis, Australian Prudential Regulation Authority says in its 2010 annual report…
IAG chases its Asian tiger tail
01 November 2010
The faint strains of the musical Annie were almost detectable at the IAG annual general meeting last week as the company outlined its Asian ambitions and long-term plan to boost its…