No certainty on broker moves by insurers
19 May 2008
Leading Australian underwriters won’t be able to resist the temptation to follow their UK counterparts and buy brokerages, according to Calliden CEO Nick Kirk...
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Budget: insurers pin hopes on tax review
19 May 2008
Insurers are hoping the Federal Government’s 18-month review into taxation at all levels could lead to a reduction in insurance taxes...
CGU’s West flays ‘gimmicks’ flood cover
19 May 2008
CGU CEO Duncan West has called on insurers to offer genuine solutions to the flood cover crisis rather than engage in “media gimmicks”...
Flood confusion reigns in Queensland
19 May 2008
Widespread consumer confusion following January’s floods in the Queensland township of Emerald has highlighted the need for a common industry definition of flood cover...
Jury out on web aggregators
19 May 2008
There’s also plenty of disagreement among insurers on the role of online “aggregators”...
Ebix monopoly comes under fire
19 May 2008
Technology supplier Ebix has rebuffed a warning by Steadfast Executive Chairman Robert Kelly that it must not “abuse its monopoly position” in the local market...
Rates showing signs of a rise, says Marsh
12 May 2008
The local insurance cycle is showing real signs of turning, according to leading broker Marsh...
ANZIIF attacks education outsourcing
12 May 2008
Australia and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance CEO Joan Fitzpatrick says the sale in August last year of financial services body Finsia’s education arm to US group Kaplan…
New Financial Ombudsman Service names chief
12 May 2008
Banking and Financial Services Ombudsman Colin Neave has been named as the Chief Ombudsman of the new Financial Ombudsman Service...
Insurers emerge unscathed from credit crisis
12 May 2008
While 61% of Australian companies are in a “marginal” or “distressed” state of financial health, the insurance industry is looking good...
Poustie named top WA young professional
12 May 2008
Young Professional broker Ian Poustie of Zenith Insurance Services has won the WA final of the Warren Tickle Memorial Award…
Aon Re awards scholarship to young insurance professional
12 May 2008
An employee of pharmacy insurer Guild Insurance will travel to London next month after being awarded the annual Aon Re Scholarship...
ICA flood proposal comes under fire
05 May 2008
Insurers’ proposed industry flood definition is potentially unworkable and could lead to reduced cover for policyholders in flood-prone areas, according to brokers and regulators...
Takeover pressure mounts for IAG board
05 May 2008
IAG is facing intense pressure to open talks with QBE over its proposed $7.6 billion takeover as the offer deadline looms...
Insurers improve IDR but could do better
05 May 2008
Insurers’ internal handling of disputes is improving, the Insurance Ombudsman Service reveals in a survey of its “hotline” callers...
Insurers’ customer service rates well
05 May 2008
Insurers provide good customer service but are viewed by some consumers as interchangeable despite big spending on advertising, according to a survey by software and services…
NZ bad weather hits home premiums
05 May 2008
The Insurance Council of New Zealand is predicting premiums will rise due to the number of costly weather events over the last year...
Reputation tops Aon’s risk table
05 May 2008
Brand and image are the greatest risk concerns for Australian businesses, says leading broker Aon Australia in its latest risk survey...
Flannery warns of ‘uninsurable risk’
05 May 2008
Governments need to take urgent action on climate change to avoid the catastrophic effects of “uninsurable risk”, former Australian of the Year Tim Flannery told…
Work ahead to deal with environmental risks, expert says
05 May 2008
Australia’s decision-makers and scientists need to predict when and where risks such as fire, storms and floods are going to happen so people are better prepared for the inevitable…