21 Dec 2020
It’s hard to believe that it is just one year ago this month when the first case of Covid-19 was reported to the World Health Organisation. Looking back to December 2019, the dominating headline at the time – and also risk for British businesses going into 2020 – was Brexit.
Looking at the intervening twelve months, it is hard to fathom just how...
3 Dec 2020
The UK justice system was facing enormous challenges, long before the coronavirus pandemic and lockdowns. Tony Buss, MD of ARAG, explains how access to justice was already declining in the UK, how the legal profession has adapted and what the longer-term consequences are likely to be.
It is no secret that the UK justice system has been struggling for some time....
23 Nov 2020
Darren Wray, CEO of Fifth Step a firm that has over a ten years experience of helping to improve insurance businesses in London and international markets examines some of the process and technology implications of the pandemic.
There have been many pages written about how the world has changed as a result of the pandemic, but the ones that I've read...
26 Oct 2020
In a guest blog for youTalk-insurance, Ben Moore, General Manager at QuoteSearcher analysed vital data which highlighted that valuable new business opportunities could be being missed by UK based insurance brokers.
It’s one thing to implement a lead generation strategy, but what’s the point if you switch off at 5:00pm?
The fact is, a huge...
5 Oct 2020
With the UK officially in recession for the first time in 11 years and unemployment increasing, the impact of Coronavirus is having far reaching consequences across all industries, including our own.
While this is very challenging and will continue to be so, the pandemic has also had an additional and perhaps less expected impact. It has shaken our assumptions...
9 Sep 2020
In an very personal, heartfelt and brave blog written for youTalk-insurance Ben McBean QBE Europe’s Assistant Claims Manager and sometimes star of the BBC TV anti insurance fraud series ‘Claimed and Shamed’ explains how taking up the challenge of swimming two great English lakes acted as both therapy for his ongoing mental health issues and helped to...
6 Jul 2020
I think you’ll agree, there were no big surprises in the FCA 2020/2021 plan released in April. Top topics were; technology, fair pricing, broker remuneration, financial crime and culture.
The FCA said, “We will not compromise on our expectations of firms, particularly that they make consumers’ interests the foundation of their business models...
1 Jul 2020
In a guest blog for youTalk-insurance, Sheena Thomson, a crisis and issues communications leader, examines approaches to reputation management, why insurers and brokers must pay close attention in a post-coronavirus world, and some top-line guidance on how to do this successfully.
There is an expression in the media; “If it bleeds, it leads”.
It...
23 Jun 2020
I can’t recall a time when business interruption insurance was covered as much in the press; or as negatively.
It is a long-standing paradox; policy wordings are difficult to understand for many customers and so, are often misunderstood or remain unread completely while insurers are reluctant to rewrite these tried and tested wordings which have evolved...
6 May 2020
In a guest blog for youTalk-insurance, Managing Director Paul Handleigh reminds us to spare a thought for our past insurance colleagues and friends as part of our VE Day celebrations this Friday.
Friday will be a cause for double celebration in my household. Admittedly the second cause for celebration will be more sombre, but it will be a...
8 Apr 2020
The radio was on in the background last weekend whilst I was wrestling my way through the doorstep of paper that is The Sunday Times.
I was stopped in my tracks when I heard the radio presenter mention that according to the charity Refuge, phone calls to The National Domestic Abuse helpline had increased by 25% since the Coronavirus lockdown had started.
...
2 Apr 2020
youTalk-insurance Founder and Managing Director Paul Handleigh makes a plea to people working in the UK general insurance industry not to forget about their retired friends and much-loved ex-colleagues during the Coronavirus crisis. Remembering that it is these same people that helped to build some of the companies (some legacy) that many people in the sector now...
30 Mar 2020
In the 9 years that youTalk-insurance has been going, my highly dedicated small team have worked hard to serve up over 670 free newsletters to our incredibly large and extremely loyal community of subscribers (that’s you if you are reading this).
I mention this, only because if you have enjoyed our free service, I have a ‘one time’ small favour...
26 Mar 2020
Jasmine Handleigh, Media Executive at youTalk-insurance, shares details of three useful technology platforms aimed at helping members of the broking community stay connected
In these challenging times, it’s perhaps now more important than ever for insurance brokers to stay in touch with their customers, colleagues and insurer partners.
In light...
23 Mar 2020
A call for brokers and insurers to share stories of their good deeds
It can’t have escaped anyone’s notice that in the midst of the current crisis the insurance industry has been getting its customary ‘Crisis Kicking’ in the media. It's been dissapointing to see that this includes some insurance publications too.
Now this...
4 Feb 2020
Matthew Moore, President and Managing Director of Liberty Specialty Markets, says it is possible for the insurance industry to create stability amid 2020’s still-volatile political climate.
I think it’s fair to say that stability has been in short supply in the UK for a few years now. Stability in terms of the country’s future direction and in...
13 Jan 2020
Authored by Sabine VanderLinden CEO for the InsurTech Business at Startupbootcamp and Rainmaking.
For many insurance professionals, the word ‘InsurTech’ is met with a visible smirk or cringe. It’s become a buzzword with negative connotations because, in many instances, InsurTechs haven’t yielded the promised collaboration results....
9 Jan 2020
If you are talking your Chartered Insurance Institute exams here are 5 top tips which are likely to increase the success of your revision include:
Make a plan - Identify realistically how much time you have available. If you feel overwhelmed by the amount of revision and the lack of time, here are some tips for finding a few extra hours per week...
3 Jan 2020
2020 is going to bring some interesting challenges including:
How will the FCA try to deal with dual pricing?
How will government and the insurance industry work together to ensure that consumers and businesses are protected from increased flood risks?
As a country, how will we ensure that all blocks of flats clad in combustible material are...
19 Dec 2019
As the good ship ‘UK General Insurance’ dips slowly below the horizon of 2019 into what promises to be an exciting and challenging year ahead, I thought I would take just a few moments of your time to thank each and every visitor (that’s you if you are reading this) to the youTalk-insurance website during 2019.
As we near our 9th birthday in...