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George Stobbart

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Aviva today announced a number of enhancements to its Group Risk products, including Lump Sum and Pay Direct options on its Group Income Protection and increased Free Cover Limits on its Group Life policies. These enhancements further improve the benefit flexibility and choice available from Aviva’s Group Risk, making it one of the most comprehensive offerings in the market.

With immediate effect, Aviva has increased the Free Cover Limit formula on its existing and new Group Life policies from £15,000 to £20,000 multiplied by the number of lives in a scheme, subject to a maximum of £1.25 million. Aviva has also increased the maximum Free Cover Limit from £1.25 million to £1.5 million for schemes covering 500-2,999 lives, and to £1.75 million for schemes covering 3,000 lives or more. The increased limits, applicable for all new business and renewals from 1 January 2010, mean that Aviva now offers some of the most generous Group Life terms in the market.

In recognition of the increased mobility in today’s job market, and the need for companies to control the costs associated with long-term sickness absence, Aviva has also introduced the following benefit options to its Group Income Protection product:

  • Lump Sum option – rather than covering employees until retirement age, employers taking out a unit-rated Group Income Protection scheme can choose a two, three, four or five year limited term followed by a lump sum payment of one, two, three, four or five times salary, or up to nine times the annual income benefit (up to £1 million per life).

A Lump Sum option helps employers control the cost of their Group Income Protection scheme, whilst still offering employees the rehabilitation support available on a standard Group Income Protection policy. In the event that the employee is unable to return to work at the end of the chosen term, the Lump Sum benefit paid to the employer can help fund early retirement or could be used to cover the cost of recruiting a replacement.

  • Pay Direct option – where an employee is unable to return to work as a result of long-term illness and is removed from the payroll, the employer can choose for their Group Income Protection benefit to be paid direct to the employee.

This option means that there is no obligation for the employer to keep the employee on their payroll in order to receive benefits, whilst also giving them the peace of mind that their former employee will continue to receive regular benefit payments for the duration of the Group Income Protection contract.

The new benefits follow the introduction of Once Only Underwriting, tele-interviews for medical underwriting, a bereavement helpline and improved Free Cover and Maximum Benefit limits in 2009, demonstrating Aviva’s on-going commitment to the Group Risk Market.

Steve Bridger, head of group risk, Aviva UK Health said: “With the workplace changing at an ever increasing pace, we’re committed to ensuring that we offer our customers market leading products that respond to their changing needs, both in terms of financial protection and employee rehabilitation.

”Group Risk continues to be a main focus for Aviva, and these enhancements are the first of many to be introduced in 2010 to enable us to continue to offer our customers appropriate products that represent great value for money, and further cement our position as a key player in the Group Risk market.”

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Iain Ainslie, ACE's Technology and Cyber Liability UnderwriterACE European Group has announced the appointment of Iain Ainslie to the role of Technology and Cyber Liability Underwriter. The move is another part of ACE’s commitment to enhancing its service offering and presence in this sector.

Based in London, Iain will be responsible for underwriting technology and cyber liability business in the UK, Ireland and North America. Iain will work with national and overseas brokers to bring awareness of technology and cyber risk to their clients, and help ensure those clients have adequate protection in the event of a breach or failure in their IT systems.

Iain will report to Trevor Ormes, Product Head Financial Lines. Commenting on Iain’s appointment Trevor said: “We are focused on establishing specialty technical knowledge in this continually evolving arena. Iain’s knowledge will enable ACE to build technology and cyber liability underwriting capabilities throughout the organisation. With technology playing an ever greater role in business, more brokers are keen to ensure their clients are adequately protected”.

Iain has worked in the London Insurance Market for over 24 years, 21 of which were within information technology. Iain’s experience covers application development, project management, infrastructure, security, consultancy and IT management.

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    The Met Office has issued a weather warning for all UK regions. Heavy snow and widespread icy roads are expected from 0600 Mon 11 Jan to 1200 Mon 11 Jan.

    Further outbreaks of snow this morning could give an additional 5cm on east facing upslopes and 10cm over higher parts of the country.

    Overnight sleet and snow showers falling onto frozen roads will give widespread ice on many roads and pavements this morning with locally treacherous conditions.

    The public are advised to take extra care and refer to the Highways Agency for further advice regarding traffic disruption on motorways and trunk roads.

    A band of heavy snow will move slowly northeast during Tuesday afternoon and the first part of Wednesday before dying out. Accumulations of 5 to 10cm are expected widely, with 10 to 20cm possible locally, and a low risk of up to 30cm over higher ground. The strengthening southeasterly wind is also likely to lead to drifting of snow.

    This could cause disruption to travel networks and lead to problems with power lines.

    The public are advised to take extra care and refer to Traffic for further advice on road conditions.

    To take action to prevent or protect your home or business against water damage from burst or frozen pipes you can find all you need to know about flood and natural disaster insurance below:

    Property owners at risk from serious water damage claims

    All you need to know about flood and natural disaster insurance

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    The British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) has appointed two new members to its London Market Region Committee (LMRC).

    Kevin Hancock, Bluefin Managing Director of Underwriting and Guy Holland-Bosworth, Chief Executive of Hayward Aviation joined the committee in December.

    Kevin has been appointed to LMRC as a representative from BIBA’s General Insurance Brokers’ Committee (GIBC) which represents BIBA members’ interests and reports to the BIBA board, and Guy brings his experience of the aviation market to the committee.

    Eric Galbraith, BIBA Chief Executive, said: “I am delighted by the support and engagement that our recently formed LMRC committee is receiving and welcome both Kevin and Guy who I am sure will both play a key role in driving the committee forward.”

    Kevin Hancock commented: “I have been involved with BIBA for some years in the regions and as a member of the GIBC. I am delighted to join this committee to offer some of that experience to the LMRC.”

    Guy Holland-Bosworth added:  “I look forward to playing an active part on this committee over the coming year and to build on the great momentum they have already achieved.”

    LMRC provides strong representation for London market brokers and ensures that their needs and activities are integrated into BIBA’s well established regional structure.

    The committee is chaired by Ken Davidson, Chairman of Crispin Speers & Partners and was formed in June 2009.  it provides a fresh approach to London market broker representation within BIBA, to the Financial Services Authority (FSA), Europe, the UK Government and other stakeholders.

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      Only 5% of car owners claim not to have visited one in the last 12 months according to EMB’s latest tracking research into the impact of price comparison sites (PCS) on UK consumers’ motor insurance buying habits

      This is a marked drop from the figure of 29% six months ago. Similarly, those who say they would never use a PCS dropped from 6% of the total to less than 1%.

      Competition amongst the main sites is tightening with Comparethemarket forcing its way into the reckoning on the back of its meerkat adverts. Confused.com overtook Money Supermarket as the most visited site with 72% of respondents saying they had been onto the site in the previous 12 months.

      Ian Liddicoat, Managing Director of EMB Marketing Sciences, commented: “What is notable about Comparethemarket’s rise is that it has been achieved with about half of the share of media voice of the main competitors. This shows the impact of the TV adverts which have spun off into social media and viral marketing.”

      Despite the preponderance of TV advertising in attracting potential customers to the sites, on-line visibility remains important to the success of aggregators. A third of people said they had chosen a PCS to visit by using an Internet search engine, up from 21%. However, this may include people who input a company name into a search engine having seen an advertisement.

      The research was carried out by CCB fast.MAP through its Consumer Voice Panel service. 2,298 people participated and non-drivers were excluded from the sample prior to analysis.

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      Most indicators show that flu activity is continuing to decrease across the UK. Some caution must be exercised, however, as the indicators may be influenced by the holiday period.

      The consultation rate for flu-like illness in England from the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) scheme has decreased to 11.2 per 100,000 in week 53 compared to 12.7 in week 52. This is below the English baseline threshold of 30/100,000.

      With GP consultations for flu-like illness now below the usual seasonal baseline, the trend estimates previously produced on a weekly basis are no longer appropriate.

      Following the move from laboratory testing for confirmation of swine flu to clinical diagnosis of cases, the level of flu in the community is being monitored using a range of surveillance mechanisms, including the RCGP consultation rates, QSurveillance®, and the National Pandemic Flu Service.

      Current plans are to issue a factual swine flu update every Thursday afternoon on the HPA website. These plans will be kept under review.

      See also:

      What you should know about your insurance coverage and the H1N1

      Questions / Answers – How do you know you have the flu ?

      Questions / Answers on U.S. H1N1 flu vaccination program


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      Life Insurance
      Life insurance companies saw a rise in new business values for the first time in over two years, although other income values fell unexpectedly resulting in a sharp reduction in profitability. Business volumes fell sharply across the board, with the exception of overseas customers. Although average spreads rose by the greatest extent on record, average fees, commissions & premiums fell at a record rate. The net result was a reduction in profitability that was more pronounced than had been expected.

      General Insurance
      Optimism in the general insurance market rose for a fifth successive quarter, despite further falls in business volumes, values and profitability. The declines were, however, broadly as expected with the exception of interest, investment or trading incomes which suffered a much heavier fall than anticipated.

      Insurance Brokers
      Business confidence among insurance brokers rose at its fastest rate since September 1993, as business volumes didn’t fall as expected and profitability rose much faster than had been anticipated. The decline in employment gathered pace during the latest quarter; however a reversal is predicted in early 2010 with positive expectations recorded for the first time in almost two years.

      Andrew Kail, UK insurance leader, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, said: “The run of confidence insurers have enjoyed for the past five quarters will be more difficult to sustain. The potential increase in the cost of claims, weaker investment returns and the lack of rate hardening has driven the more gloomy short-term outlook. As a result, headcount reduction and a cut in operating expenses seem firmly on insurers’ agendas for 2010. The sector has also reported low investment plans for regulatory compliance, which is at odds with efforts the industry is making to meet the requirements of Solvency II.

      “Although the life insurance sector reports an increase in optimism, this seems to be pinned on a hope of a future recovery in demand rather than short-term reality. The sector continues to report persistently weak customer demand for its core products and this is leading to a strong focus on cost reductions. Concern remains around the cost of compliance as the sector continues to focus on Solvency II implementation and other regulatory challenges.”

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      Insurance broker UIB has been appointed as sole and exclusive insurance broker for the renewal of the comprehensive package of insurances to prestigious Moroccan flag carrier Royal Air Maroc.

      The win, which follows a rigorous tender process, cements UIB’s standing in North Africa and further signals its intent to expand in the wider African region, both in aviation and other commercial lines of business. The Royal Air Maroc appointment, together with UIB’s existing regional client base which includes Air Algerie, means UIB now has a significant share of the North African airline market.

      Royal Air Maroc has a fleet of 71 aircraft with a value of USD1.5bn and its routes cover the U.S, Europe and the Middle East. JLT were the previous appointed broker and UIB secured the business in a tender process, ahead of Marsh and Willis.

      UIB Aviation divisional director Francesco Alessi said: “We are delighted to have been selected by Royal Air Maroc, which, as a national flag-carrying airline, is certainly a prestigious account to win. It is also strategically significant: winning such a well-regarded and high-profile client will benefit UIB’s ongoing African expansion effort and we look confidently forward to further growth in the African continent.”

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      German insurer Allianz is preparing an offer for Swiss Life, French online news site Wansquare reported on Sunday, citing Swiss banking sources.

      If an offer materialised in coming days, it would be based on 5.5 billion Swiss francs ($5.3 billion), or a minimum premium of around 20 percent over Swiss Life’s market value of 4.6 billion, Wansquare said.

      A spokesman for Allianz declined to comment.

      Swiss Life shares rose last week as traders pointed to Allianz could be interested in making a bid for the company. In November, Allianz finance director Oliver Baete said the company had no plans for either acquisitions or a capital hike. The group has a market value of 40 billion euros ($57 billion).

      Source: Reuters

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      Today’s judgment by the Court of Session in Edinburgh that maintains the recently passed Act to compensate people with pleural plaques ignores the medical evidence that the condition does not cause harm or lead to asbestos-related conditions such as mesothelioma, the ABI said today. The ruling follows a judicial review brought by several insurers against the Damages (Asbestos Related Conditions) (Scotland) Act 2009. These insurers are now seriously considering the grounds for an appeal.

      However, the ABI reassured that the judgment, and any further appeal, in no way affects insurers continued commitment to pay compensation to people with asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma, which impact on their health.

      Reacting to the judgment, Nick Starling, the ABI’s Director of General Insurance and Heath said: “We are very disappointed with this judgment. Insurers brought the review on the grounds that The Damages Act is fundamentally flawed as it ignores overwhelming medical evidence that plaques are symptomless, and the well-established legal principle that compensation is payable only when there are physical symptoms.

      “We are pleased that the judgment recognises the fundamental right of insurers to challenge legislation made by the Scottish Parliament, although we are disappointed that the judge did not feel able to overturn the law passed by the Scottish Parliament.  Insurers will now be considering carefully this judgment, and are seriously looking at the grounds for an appeal against it. This is not the end of the road.”

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      Mondial Assistance and nib have yesterday announced a brand new partnership in order to offer tailored travel insurance products to nib customers which would include feature emergency medical assistance.

      Mondial Assistance is part of the world’s largest assistance organisation and specialises in global emergency medical assistance and already underwrites a large chunk of Australia’s travel policies including Allianz, t, Medibank Private and Aussie TravelCover.

      Brett Robinson, Mondial Assistance in Australia CEO said: “Mondial Assistance has a dedicated medical team of doctors, registered nurses, logistics professionals and support personnel—led by our Chief Medical Officer—providing exceptional emergency medical assistance to policy holders who are injured or become ill while travelling overseas”.

      “Mondial Assistance will be working seamlessly with nib to provide their customers with products, support and assistance of the quality they deserve when travelling.”

      This new partnership comes as private health care provider nib looks to refresh and relaunch its travel insurance policy product.

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      The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has warned motorists not to risk leaving their cars unattended with the engine running to defrost during the freezing weather.

      A number of motorists have attempted to stave off the cold by leaving their engines running, only to have their vehicles stolen. The ABI warned drivers that such actions could invalidate car insurance policies.

      Director of General Insurance and Health Nick Starling has strongly urged motorists not to leave their cars unattended with the keys in the ignition for even a short period of time.

      In just two hours Lancashire police recorded more than 20 such incidents, and in 2009 a gang of thieves nicknamed The Ice Bandits received custodial sentences.

      As the UK remains in the grip of extraordinary snowfall the difficulties for motorists, particularly on minor roads, continue to grow.

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      RSA Insurance Group plc announces the acquisition of 80.8% of Sveland P&C Ltd, for SEK 138m (GBP 12m) in cash.

      Sveland P&C is the 9th largest private insurer in Sweden with gross written premiums of SEK 480m (GBP 42m) in 2008.

      Building on the success of our bank distribution model in Denmark, this acquisition will strengthen the Group’s banking distribution and presence in southern Sweden and is consistent with RSA’s strategy of building leading positions in targeted segments.

      Completion of the transaction is subject to regulatory approval.

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        The Met Office has issued a weather warning for all UK regions. Heavy snow and widespread icy roads are expected from 0001 Mon 11 Jan to 2359 Mon 11 Jan;

        Following recent snow with further snow showers expected overnight, widespread ice is expected on roads and pavements.

        Outbreaks of locally heavy sleet and snow are likely to give further accumulations of 2 to 5cm, and locally up to 10cm in places. Showers will die out from midday but some roads and footpaths will remain icy.

        The public are advised to take extra care and refer to Traffic for further advice on road conditions.

        To take action to prevent or protect your home or business against water damage from burst or frozen pipes you can find all you need to know about flood and natural disaster insurance below:

        Property owners at risk from serious water damage claims

        All you need to know about flood and natural disaster insurance

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        Aon Benfield Securities today releases its latest quarterly report on the Insurance-Linked Securities market, which reveals that a tightening in spreads encouraged new issuances among repeat sponsors in Q4 2009.

        The Insurance-Linked Securities – Fourth Quarter Update, highlights that a total of $3.4 billion of ILS transactions closed during the year, including $1.6 billion in the fourth quarter alone. The three months witnessed a dramatic reduction in spreads, most prominently in the US Wind and Multi-Peril sectors, which decreased by 36% and 26% respectively on a non-seasonal adjusted basis. This trend is in contrast to the high spreads witnessed during 1H 2009.

        The decline in spreads spurred activity among repeat issuers, which had transactional structures in place to enable them to quickly take advantage of the improved pricing environment. Only two new cat bond sponsors came to the market in 2009.

        Secondary trading remained at average levels during Q4, as investors chose to allocate capital to new issuances rather than trading in existing ILS products.

        Paul Schultz, President of Aon Benfield Securities, said: “The high spreads witnessed during the first half of the year deterred many potential new sponsors from entering the market, as traditional reinsurance solutions were considered more economical. However, with spreads improving during Q3 and Q4, those with structures already established were well placed to react to the improved conditions in the ILS market.  The fourth quarter was especially active, as Aon Benfield Securities underwrote and placed three issues with a notional amount of $510 million on a currency adjusted basis.  This includes a $225 million transaction transferring commercial California earthquake risk to the capital markets on an indemnity basis.”

        Money market funds, which offer conservative collateral structures and are less dependent on counterparties’ credit ratings, were the most popular form of collateral management for ILS products during Q4.

        The period saw continued emphasis on ILS solutions covering U.S. exposures, with price declines occurring across those covering perils in non-U.S. geographies. In 2009 as a whole, issuance for U.S. perils represented 80% of the total ILS market, followed by issuance for Japan and Western European perils.

        The use of an industry index loss trigger was by far the most popular mechanism for cat bonds in 2009.

        Mr. Schultz added: “In both U.S. and non-U.S. markets, improved conditions have broadened the new issuance pipeline as sponsors have sought to access capacity at increasingly competitive prices. From an investor perspective, we expect to see a trend towards the use of the collateralized reinsurance market to fill risk buckets and return profiles which are currently unavailable in the ILS market.”

        Aon Benfield Securities forecasts that ILS issuance volumes will grow during 1H 2010, as approximately $2bn of transactions come off-risk and sponsors seek to replace the capacity via capital markets solutions.

        Aon Benfield Securities is the marketing name for the broker-dealer business of Aon Corporation, which operates principally through Aon Corporation’s indirect, wholly-owned subsidiaries Aon Benfield Securities, Inc. in the U.S. and Aon Benfield Securities Limited in the U.K.

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        Responding to new research that shows 38% of drivers fail to capture sufficient third party details needed for making a claim, MORE TH>N has launched an iPhone application that provides support to drivers at the scene of an accident.

        The Car Claim accident tool provides step by step guidance through safety precautions at the roadside, and prompts users to capture key information, including witness and accident information. There is also an option to take photos, as well as upload your current location through Global Positioning System (GPS)ii, which alongside the other information captured, can then be emailed to an address of the user’s choice.

        MORE TH>N is taking the advantage of mobile phone technology platforms to help customers at this critical time. After an accident, drivers are feeling shaken or stressed, meaning they can forget to record the necessary details. The Car Claim tool lends a guiding hand to help users gather the information needed to notify their insurer of a claim as soon as possible.

        The Car Claim application is available from the Apple App store to download and store on phones for future use. The application is free and not exclusive to MORE TH>N customers – allowing users to input different insurer details.

        Mark Christer, Managing Director for MORE TH>N, said: “A car accident is a traumatic experience and it’s easy for drivers to forget what information they need to gather from the scene. It’s a time when people really look to their insurer to provide support.

        “Advancements in mobile technology have provided MORE TH>N with the opportunity to reach out and help our customers at this critical time – an opportunity which we are proud to be fully embracing. Car Claim should help users experience a smoother claim process with their insurance company, helping them to return to normal as soon as possible.”

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          Good December figures meant the number of new cars sold in 2009 dipped only 6.4% compared with 2008, it was announced today.

          Boosted by the Government’s car-scrappage scheme, the number of new vehicles registered in 2009 was 1,994,999, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said.

          In a significant boost to the car insurance industry, the final figure was well above the SMMT’s original forecasts, helped by the fact that December 2009 sales were 38.9% up on those of the same month in 2008.

          The “cash-for-bangers” scrappage scheme, introduced in May, led to an upsurge in sales in 2009.

          Monthly registrations had fallen for 15 successive months before they started rising again in July, with big increases in the months that followed.

          SMMT chief executive Paul Everitt said today: “The December new car market was boosted by the scrappage scheme and consumers looking to avoid January’s VAT increase.

          “The 2009 market of 1,994,999 new car registrations was significantly above early expectations and reflects the positive impact of the scheme, due to end in February.”

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          ING IM’s primary servicer rating is based on the long tenure of the company’s management team, its demonstrated commitment to technology, and its extensive experience as a commercial real estate loan servicer on behalf of ING’s U.S. life insurance companies and other clients. The rating also reflects the financial strength of the parent company, ING Group. While the company does not act as a CMBS loan servicer, it has more than 50 years of experience managing commercial real estate loans.

          As of Sept. 30, 2009, ING IM’s total servicing portfolio was comprised of 1,369 non-CMBS loans with an unpaid principal balance of $11.1 billion. Of these loans, 1,190 totaling $8.4 billion were sub-serviced by 43 correspondents overseen by ING IM.

          The servicer rating is based on the methodology described in Fitch’s reports ‘U.S. Commercial Mortgage Servicer Rating Criteria’ dated June 19, 2009, and ‘Global Rating Criteria for Structured Finance Servicers’ dated Sept. 30, 2009, available on Fitch’s web site at ‘www.fitchratings.com‘.

          Fitch rates commercial mortgage primary, master, and special servicers on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the highest rating. Within each of these rating levels, Fitch further differentiates ratings by plus (+) and minus (-) as well as the flat rating.

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            Customers originally booked on train 9112 (07:30 London to Brussels) may travel on the 9108 (06:20) or the 9120 (08.27) from St Pancras. Please arrive at check-in at least 45mins before departure and you will be allocated a new seat on your chosen departure.

            Customers originally booked on train 9044 (17:30 London to Paris) may travel on the 9042 (16:55) or the 9046 (17:55). Please arrive at check-in at least 45mins before departure and you will be allocated a new seat on your chosen departure.

            Customers originally booked on train 9053 (18:43 Paris to London) may travel on the 9047 (17:13), 9051 (18:13) or 9055 (19:13).  These trains will stop additionally at Ashford International. Please arrive at check-in at least 45mins before departure and you will be allocated a new seat on your chosen departure.

            Customers originally booked on train 9157 (18:59 Brussels to London) may travel on any other departures from Brussels or Lille (please consult our timetable).   Please arrive at check-in at least 45min before departure and you will be allocated a new seat on your chosen departure

            For those who were not able to travel  on 19th, 20th or 21s December 2009, please find below the information for the refund and exchange policy :

            Refund & Exchange policy for travellers not able to travel on 19th, 20th or 21s December 2009

            Eurostar train allocation system for Tuesday 22nd December

            Compensation policy for Eurostar travellers who were on delayed trains Friday 18th and Saturday 19th December 2009

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              U.K. commercial insurers could be hit with a raft of new claims in the coming years due to businesses taking on much more risk as a result of the operational changes they have been forced to take because of the recession, according to a study of more than 250 companies Wednesday.

              Risks taken by U.K. companies have risen sharply due to the recession as companies struggle to survive, according to the research by specialist research firm Mactavish, in collaboration with the insurance practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers and by analysts at Citi.

              “The net impact [of the recession] has clearly been to increase the level of underlying risk,” Mactavish’s Chief Executive Bruce Hepburn told reporters Wednesday. “These companies didn’t have a choice as they’re not, at this stage, focused on risk.”

              The report found that businesses in sectors such as manufacturing, construction and retail are taking on more risks to cuts costs, say by introducing more low-cost outsourcing to the Far East to their supply chains.

              However, the report’s findings show that insurance brokers and insurers aren’t fully aware of the changes made by those they insure, suggesting that policies are being underpriced and insurers could face claims in the next two to three years that they’re not fully prepared for.

              The research found that 65% of companies don’t review how their risk is explained to insurers as part of their insurance contract–leaving some insurers unaware of operational changes that could affect the policy.

              Achim Bauer, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, said insurers need to rethink how they assess risk to reduce potential claims and strengthen their market position.