Direct Line Group
MP calls on government to force insurers to use dividends to pay coronavirus claims
Plaid Cymru MP Jonathan Edwards has tabled an Early Day Motion calling on the government to instruct insurers to put their dividends towards settling insurance claims resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Hastings pushes ahead with dividend payment plan
Hastings Group has confirmed it will propose a final dividend of 5.5p per share at its AGM on 21 May despite calls from regulators for the industry to suspend payments during the coronavirus pandemic.
This week: A whole new world
I'd like to tell you in my spare time this week I've learnt a new language or picked up a new skill but in the true spirit of staying indoors we've mostly been bingeing on Disney Plus, with the Aladdin remake a firm favourite.
Bank of England’s warning: Which insurers have put pay to dividends?
A flurry of insurers have pushed pause on dividend payouts following Bank of England and European Union warnings on being prudent in the face of the coronavirus crisis.
Motor insurers warned to do ‘right thing’ on mid-terms or face cancellation wave
As homeworking becomes the norm and the government advises travel for only essential reasons, motor insurers have advised careful consideration of mid-term adjustments for cost-cutting to ensure adequate cover remains, but a consumer group has warned…
Insurer gender pay gaps shrink slightly
Insurers’ gender pay gaps narrowed marginally in 2019, with the difference between the median and mean pay of women and men shrinking by 0.94% and 1.46% respectively among a sample of top insurers collated by Post.
Insurers plead with government to make early call on further whiplash reform delay in light of Covid-19
The whiplash reforms implementation date should be delayed and a realistic timescale put in light of the Covid-19 epidemic.
Analysis: Motor insurers report up to 50% reduction in claims due to coronavirus lockdown
It is now just over a week since the Prime Minister locked down the UK on 23 March to help slow down the coronavirus pandemic, strict measures which have seen traffic significantly reduced on the UK’s roads. Post content director Jonathan Swift spoke to…
Blog: Incoming Esure chair Andy Haste, an insurance boss defined more by the roles he didn’t do - than those he did?
There was a time when former RSA group CEO Andy Haste seemed to be linked with every senior position in insurance. Post content director Jonathan Swift reflects on some of the ones that got away - if rumour and speculation were to be believed.
Analysis: After the flood
Storms Ciara and Dennis hit the UK on 8 and 16 February respectively, contributing to what was the wettest February since 1862. Post looks at the impact of the storms
Updated: Insurers will continue to renew annual travel policies amid sales pause
Travel insurers that have pulled their products off the market due to the coronavirus pandemic will continue to offer renewals to existing customers.
Direct Line suspends share buyback as it reports 500% increase in travel claims relating to Covid-19
Direct Line Insurance Group has today suspended its share buyback programme as a result of the volatile conditions arising from the Covid 19 pandemic.
Zurich UK pulls direct travel insurance
Zurich UK has paused the sale of direct travel insurance to new customers joining a long list of providers reacting to the ongoing coronavirus crisis, Post can reveal.
Analysis: What will the legacy of Covid 19 mean for the future of work as insurance staff migrate from the office to home?
Insurers might be closing their offices in the face of Covid 19, but they are quick to reassure everyone that it is business-as-usual. Jonathan Swift looks at what insurers are doing in the face of unprecedented upheaval and what the legacy might be when…
Existing travel policies likely to be eligible for cancellation claims as FCO discourages 'all but essential' trips
Direct Line reported facing increased calls from travel insurance customers on Tuesday after the Foreign Office advised against all but essential international travel in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
Analysis: Florists and flower stockist - Growing cover
The popularity of the Chelsea Flower Show has driven demand for small florists to start up and for larger garden centres to expand. Are their insurance needs being met though?
Updated: Admiral, Aviva and Direct Line latest to pull travel cover
Aviva, Admiral and Direct Line have joined a growing list of insurers that have pulled travel insurance products off the market due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Analysis: Insurers nix staff travel as coronavirus casts shadow over events
Some firms are telling their staff to avoid all but essential work travel in the UK due to coronavirus concerns, leading to some insurance event postponements and cancellations, Post has learned.
Analysis: A coronavirus call centre crisis?
Personal lines insurance providers are faced with a potentially “lethal” situation if call centre staff cannot go into work en masse due to coronavirus disruption, compliance experts have cautioned. Post asked brokers and insurers how they are preparing…
ABI pegs storms Ciara and Dennis losses at £363m
The industry is set to pay out £363m on claims from storms Ciara and Dennis that hit the UK last month, the Association of British Insurers has calculated.
Best Insurance Employer: The Top 20 - Direct Line Group 8.2
Direct Line Group was voted twelfth was voted eleventh in Post’s Best Insurance Employer poll after its employees rated the company on factors such as senior management, work/life balance and training and development.
Direct Line profits slump under weight of restructuring and Ogden rate
Direct Line’s profits slumped by 12.2% in 2019 as the group incurred the first of a multi-year package of restructuring costs and strengthened reserves in response to the revised Ogden rate.
This week: Ups and downs
It's been a swings and roundabouts kind of week.
Direct Line to cut 800 jobs
Direct Line Group is cutting 800 jobs over the next two years, the insurer has confirmed.