Hiscox sets aside $75m for catastrophe claims as gross premiums grow November 2, 2020 Insurance firm Hiscox said that it had set aside $75m (£58.1m) for natural disasters claims in the third quarter as gross written premiums grew in the first nine months of the year. In a trading statement this morning, the FTSE 250 firm revealed the decision to set aside the money after another autumn of dramatic [...]
Keir Starmer was right on one thing in his reshuffle – we need a Future of Work Secretary May 15, 2021 After a poor set of local election results and a botched reshuffle, Labour hasn’t had the best of weeks. But one thing it may have gotten right is the appointment of Angela Rayner as “shadow secretary for the future of work”. While it is easy to mock the elaborate titles bestowed on the deputy leader [...]
Charm offensive: Hiscox prepares to woo customers following pandemic ‘brand damage’ March 3, 2021 Insurance giant intends to build back its reputation “one policy at a time”, after the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent court case left the business facing “brand damage”. Earlier this year Hiscox came under fire after customers complained they were not being granted payouts on claims made on their business interruption insurance. In a landmark case [...]
Iran executes French-based dissident journalist captured last year December 12, 2020 (Reuters) – Iranian dissident journalist Ruhollah Zam, who was convicted of fomenting violence during anti-government protests in 2017, was executed on Saturday, Iran’s state television reported. France reacted with anger to the hanging of the Paris-based journalist, which it called “barbaric and unacceptable” and said ran counter to Iran’s international obligations. Iran said on Tuesday [...]
Morrisons wins legal case over data breach liability April 1, 2020 The UK’s highest court has ruled that Morrisons is not legally liable for the actions of a disgruntled former employee who leaked the data of more than 100,000 workers. Supreme Court judge Lord Reed ruled this morning that the supermarket was not vicariously liable for the conduct of Andrew Skelton, who was jailed in 2015 [...]
Villagers get victory in Vedanta pollution case as Supreme Court rules their case can be heard in the UK April 10, 2019 The Supreme Court dealt a blow against London-based miner Vedanta Resources today as it ruled a case brought against the firm by Zambian villagers can be heard in the UK. More than 1,800 Zambians allege that toxic waste from a copper mine run by KCM, a subsidiary of Vedanta, damaged land and waterways, destroying their [...]
Boris Johnson’s visit to India will put his trade principles to the test March 27, 2021 In the much anticipated Integrated Foreign Policy & Defence Review published last week, the government set out one of its key principles as “promoting) effective and transparent governance, robust democratic institutions and the rule of law”. Fine words; a clear echo – whether conscious or not – of a fundamental tenet of liberal thought. It was [...]
Shut up man!: Donald Trump and Joe Biden lock horns in first US presidential debate September 30, 2020 Donald Trump and Joe Biden were in a bitter contest in the first US presidential debate. Did anybody come out a winner?
Direct Line premiums stabilise as insurance market climbs back November 10, 2020 Direct Line today posted flat trading for the third quarter as shopping habits began to recover after a decline sparked by the coronavirus outbreak. The insurance group said its total written premiums slipped a marginal 0.8 per cent to £851.5m in the three months to the end of September. The performance was primarily driven by [...]
Manchester City owner Mansour bin Zayed named UAE vice president March 30, 2023 The owner of Manchester City, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has been named vice president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The move comes amid a number of major political appointments by Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the nation. Sheikh Mohamed also named Kahled bin Mohamed as Crown Prince of Abu [...]