UK market News

AIG Weighs Moving Its European Hub from London if ‘Brexit’ Triumphs

American International Group Inc. will consider establishing an operations center within the European Union if the U.K. votes to leave the political bloc, according to Chief Executive Officer Peter Hancock. “If a Brexit occurs, I suspect we will need a …

Brexit Would Threaten UK’s Access to EU via Single Passport: Officials

Britain’s partners are stepping up warnings that if it votes next week to leave the European Union, banks and financial firms based in London could lose their money-spinning EU “passports.” The City of London vies with New York as the …

AXA’s CEO de Castries Predicts ‘Extremely High’ Probability of ‘Brexit’

There is an “extremely high” probability that the U.K. will vote to leave the European Union and investors will face “a true landscape of uncertainties,” AXA SA Chief Executive Officer Henri de Castries said. Neither the U.K. nor the EU …

Ongoing Soft Market Tops Reinsurers’ Concerns: Xuber Survey

Soft market conditions continue to be the biggest concern for the industry, followed by regulation, competition from third party capital, low investment returns, cyber crime and maintaining underwriting discipline, according to a survey completed by Xuber, the insurance software business …

UK’s Allianz Insurance Offers Free Cyber Risk Assessment Tool for SMEs

Allianz Insurance plc, the U.K. subsidiary of Allianz SE, has partnered with global cyber security consultancy, IT Governance Ltd., to offer commercial customers a free online cyber risk assessment. The Allianz Cyber Risk Assessment tool is designed to help businesses …

Future of London Market Threatened by ‘Brexit’, Warn Market Leaders

Brexit poses a grave threat to London’s insurance jobs and businesses, according to the International Underwriting Association of London (IUA), Lloyds, and Richard Brindle, group chief executive officer of Fidelis. In a position paper published today, these market leaders warned …

PERILS Revises Loss Estimate for UK Floods from Storm Desmond to $861.4M

The insured property loss estimate for floods that hit the UK from Dec. 4 to 24, 2015, following Storm Desmond and other low pressure systems, has been revised to £597 million ($861.4 million), according to PERILS, the independent Zurich-based organization …

AXA Sells SunLife, Names Top Team Including Harlin as CFO, Olivier to Lead P/C

AXA SA sold its SunLife unit in the U.K. to Phoenix Group Holdings and announced the top-management team that will work with incoming Chief Executive Officer Thomas Buberl when he takes the helm in September. Gerald Harlin will become group …

Flood Damage from UK’s Winter Storms to Cost Insurers $2 Billion: ABI

Flood damage in Britain from winter storms has resulted in claims for more than 15,000 homes and businesses and is likely to lead to pay-outs of 1.3 billion pounds ($1.9 billion), the Association of British Insurers estimates. Three winter storms …

Britain Would Face Trade Barriers if It Votes for Brexit: EU Financial Services Head

Britain would face trade barriers if it left the European Union and its single market, the EU’s financial services commissioner Jonathan Hill said on Monday. Hill, a Briton appointed to the European Commission by UK Prime Minister David Cameron, stepped …