Insurance news

To rule out stereotyping, the researchers turned to a dataset of anonymous online negotiations conducted entirely through text chat, with no names, photos, or voices exchanged. A separate group of participants tried to guess the gender of the negotiators from the transcripts alone and did no better than random chance. Yet even in that anonymous setting, women were rated as more trustworthy, fairer, and more likeable than men, with no difference in the financial outcomes of the deal either side walked away with.

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David Bailey, Executive Director for Prudential Policy at the PRA, said the regime “will enhance the UK’s competitive edge in insurance,” adding that “ahead of the formal launch in 2027, we are keen to speak to any businesses that could benefit from establishing a UK-based captive.” Sarah Pritchard, deputy chief executive of the FCA, said a competitive option “could benefit UK companies and support wider economic growth,” describing the approach as “pragmatic and proportionate, with appropriate safeguards in place.”

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The hire comes as UK household claims reach record levels, adding to the complexity of the property claims Qlaims is built to support, and as regulators sharpen their focus on how that complexity is handled. ABI figures showed the average household claim hit £6,340 in the first quarter of 2026, the highest on record and up 20% on the same period in 2025, while the average domestic subsidence claim rose 9% year on year to £17,820. That followed a record £6.1 billion in UK property insurance payouts across 2025 as a whole, driven by the UK’s hottest summer on record and a run of severe storms.

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Where the loss actually happens

The physical risk still sits squarely in transit. Andrew Mitchell, fine art underwriter at Hiscox in London, has told Insurance Business UK that “the main driver of fine art claims is accidental damage,” with roughly half arising specifically while an object is being moved rather than sitting on display. The treaty reflects that directly: it specifies that vibration during transport must be reduced to under 2 millimetres per second, a figure drawn from a 2022 French engineering study that Jeffares argues was never validated as a safe threshold for a specific, degraded 1,000-year-old textile, only as a general benchmark.

Stuart Dean, Director and Head of Signature Claims Services at Criterion Adjusters, echoes that focus on prevention. “When an artefact is genuinely irreplaceable, the focus shifts from indemnity to prevention,” he said. “The real challenge lies in the risk management and planning needed to ensure a loss never occurs, plus a consideration towards the conservation expertise and associated costs in the event of damage. Our experience investigatin claims where things have gone wrong also means we’re often asked to review and challenge transit plans before a journey begins, to assist with the prevention element.”

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Marcus Baker, global head of marine at Marsh, said the past few weeks had brought genuine, if cautious, optimism to the market. Premiums had begun falling from their crisis peaks as both sides signalled a willingness to negotiate, although they remained well above pre-conflict levels.

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Pirozzolo added that cover can, in principle, also be affected by matters outside a judgment, such as non-disclosure at inception or breach of policy conditions, but said he is not aware of any suggestion of that here. “I have not read the judgment,” he said, “but so far as I am aware, it contains no findings of dishonesty or improper conduct against any of the claimants. Indeed, my understanding is that in assessing Prince Harry’s evidence, Mr Justice Nicklin noted that Associated Newspapers did not allege any dishonesty on his part.”

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And there is no certainty that the Burnham coronation and a new seat of power at Manc a Lago is going to change that. Kier Starmer’s troubles began when he could not pass his welfare reforms. Despite a nominal 170+ majority in Parliament, the Labour coalition is now so broad that, individually, his MPs proved not to be that committed to their manifesto pledges. The King of the North may find himself faced with the mirror image of this problem. Within the more than 400 Labour MPs are probably sufficient Blairites, still believing that centrist, low spending government is the answer, to block the more expansionist plans he suggests he may have. Having “hope in our hearts” may not be enough to get anything done.

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Canada’s population fell for a third consecutive quarter to start 2026, dropping by 55,025 people between January and April to an estimated 41,417,056, according to Statistics Canada. The decline – driven by a 20.2 per cent year-over-year drop in permanent immigration, a sharp pullback in non-permanent residents, and more deaths than births for the first time outside of winter’s usual seasonal dip – marks the latest sign of a structural shift that is already reshaping how some HR leaders plan for talent. 

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The structural logic is the more significant detail. Hull and hull war, MECO, marine and energy liabilities, and transport and logistics previously operated as separate classes within Markel International. That siloed structure worked adequately when the risks were genuinely distinct. In a market where the June 2026 Strait of Hormuz closure left approximately $125 billion of vessels and cargo stranded in the Persian Gulf – simultaneously generating hull war exposure, MECO claims on vessels unable to transit, energy liability questions around stranded cargoes, and transport and logistics disruption downstream – managing those exposures across four separate class heads produces gaps in both underwriting response and client service. A single director across all four classes closes those gaps structurally rather than relying on coordination between separate functions under pressure.

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Hancock said the hire reflected AIG’s effort to align its global capabilities with client and distribution needs. “Christine Williams is a highly accomplished insurance executive recognized across the industry for her track record of driving growth and strengthening client relationships,” he said. “I look forward to welcoming Christine to AIG as we further connect our global capabilities with the evolving needs of our clients and partners.”

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