Insurance UK

4 Things To Watch As UK Releases Budget

The U.K.'s Labour government is set to release an autumn budget Wednesday that faces a test of balancing a pledge not to raise working people's taxes with an expected need to boost revenue to meet fiscal rules. Here are four things to watch for as the budget is issued.

'Name And Shame' Test Case Ruling Could Embolden FCA

Financial services companies should be ready to engage with consumers when faced with enforcement action, in a lesson from a test case of the reasoning behind a Financial Conduct Authority decision to "name and shame" a company that could encourage bolder naming actions, lawyers said.

FCA's Tokenization Plan May Heighten Financial Crime Risk

The Financial Conduct Authority's planned tokenization regime to help asset managers trade investment funds as digital assets could expose investors to financial criminals lurking in crypto-markets, with the regulator's "targeted support" rules multiplying the risk, lawyers have warned.

Surface of polluted water reflecting sunlight with a leaf.

'Forever Chemicals' Pollution Claims Seeping Into UK Courts

Litigation over widely used "forever chemicals" that has led to big payouts in the U.S. could become a source of significant exposure for insurers and their policyholders in the U.K. following a recent settlement.

December 08, 2025
AmTrust, Blackstone Launch New MGA Platform

AmTrust and the credit and insurance arm of Blackstone have agreed to turn some of the global insurer's managing general agencies and other companies in the U.S. and U.K. into a new business.
December 08, 2025
Lawyers In Crosshairs In New Anti-Corruption Crackdown

Corrupt lawyers, accountants and bankers "will be hunted down" under a new anti-corruption strategy unveiled by the government on Monday, which will crack down on enablers facilitating bribery and illicit finance in the U.K.
December 08, 2025
Pension Reforms Could Boost UK Investment By £220B

The government could raise £220 billion ($293 billion) in additional investment in Britain over the next decade through a series of reforms to pensions, insurance and home building, an insurer said in a report on Monday.
December 08, 2025
FCA Releases Landmark Reforms To Boost Retail Investment

The Financial Conduct Authority published on Monday a landmark package of measures to encourage investments by consumers to help U.K. growth, giving businesses new clarity on when they are dealing with professionals.
December 08, 2025
More Than 3M Savers Hit By Salary Sacrifice Budget Change

The government's plan to cap pension salary sacrifice arrangements will worsen the growing crisis of pension under-saving, a former pensions minister has warned, after an official report found that at least 3.3 million workers will be affected.
December 08, 2025
BNP Paribas Ups Stake In Ageas With €1.1B Investment

French banking giant BNP Paribas said on Monday that its insurance subsidiary has increased its stake in Belgian multinational insurer Ageas Group SA to 22.5% from 14.9% with the injection of €1.1 billion ($1.28 billion) in new share capital.
December 05, 2025
UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

This past week in London has seen Mozambique sue the late tycoon Iskandar Safa's family and Privinvest amid the wider $1.9 billion "tuna bond" fraud case, Entain face a claim from a major U.S. pensions agency, and a Mexican lawyer accused of embezzlement bring legal action against Travelers Insurance Co.
December 05, 2025
A&O Guides Stagecoach On £1.2B Pension 'Run On' Deal

Asset management giant Aberdeen Group PLC said Thursday it would take over as the sponsor of the £1.2 billion ($1.6 billion) Stagecoach pension scheme, in a landmark deal steered by Slaughter and May, A&O Shearman and CMS Cameron McKenna.
December 05, 2025
UK Watchdog Intervenes In Food Co.'s Pension Plan

Britain's retirement savings watchdog said on Friday its intervention, sparked by concern for members of a pension arrangement sponsored by a food manufacturer, has prompted the business to commit to putting around £300 million ($400 million) into the plan.
December 05, 2025
M&A Falls By A Third In UK Insurance-Distribution Sector

Mergers and acquisitions activity in the U.K. insurance-distribution sector is set to have had a much quieter year, with acquisition volumes falling 34% in the first 11 months of 2025, according to a study published Friday.
December 05, 2025
UK Watchdogs Plan To Spur £223B Mutual Financial Sector

Two finance watchdogs unveiled plans to boost growth in the U.K. mutual banking and insurance sector on Friday, part of the government's plan to double the size of the £223 billion ($297.5 billion) market.
December 05, 2025
Swiss Re Targets $500M Annual Share Buyback Program

European insurance giant Swiss Re AG said Friday it will launch an annual share buyback program starting in 2026, adding that it will repurchase $500 million of shares every year after that.
December 05, 2025
Gasket Maker, Insurance Broker Settle £2M Tool Theft Case

A British manufacturer of pipe seals and gaskets has agreed to settle its £2 million ($2.7 million) dispute with an insurance broker to cover the cost of "valuable" tools stolen by thieves.
December 04, 2025
EU Parliament Urged To Act On Gaps In Pensions Savings

European savers deserve better returns and stronger consumer protections to ensure they have adequate pension pots, policy advocates have claimed, warning that reform is necessary to ensure citizens have sufficient resources in retirement.
December 04, 2025
Smaller Audit Firms Gaining UK Market Share, Watchdog Says

Smaller auditors are starting to challenge the dominance of the Big Four firms for scrutinizing the finances of the country's biggest and most important companies, the accounting watchdog said Thursday.
December 04, 2025
Lloyd's Body Weighs Emerging 'Forever Chemicals' Litigation

A trade body for Lloyd's of London has set up a committee to examine risks to the insurance sector from new forms of litigation, including those linked to "forever chemicals."
December 04, 2025
Gov't To Address Pension Inflation In New Bill

The government has said it will use its current set of pension reforms to push through long-awaited inflation-linked increases to the retirement benefits of older workers.
December 04, 2025
EU Reveals Plan To Boost Financial Market Integration

The European Commission unveiled a package of financial market reforms on Thursday, aimed at dismantling long-standing barriers to trade and creating a streamlined single capital market within the bloc of 27 nations.
December 04, 2025
Legal Challenge Withdrawn After Gov't Pensions U-Turn

Campaigners fighting for compensation over historical failings on payments of women's state pensions have scored a win after the government agreed to reconsider its decision not to create a redress program within 12 weeks.
December 03, 2025
Claims Prevention Biz To Raise £2.2M For US Expansion

Ondo InsurTech PLC said Wednesday that it plans to raise at least £2.2 million ($2.9 million) to accelerate its expansion in the U.S.
December 03, 2025
Bridgehaven Confirms Irish Insurer Acquisition To Enter EU

British insurance company Bridgehaven said Wednesday it has completed the acquisition of Irish insurer SureStone Insurance DAC, marking what it called an "important step" in its European ambitions.
December 03, 2025
Chubb Sued Over Advice On 'Worthless' Property Investment

A Saudi investor has sued Chubb for around £259,000 ($344,500) to cover a conveyancing firm, alleging that the now-insolvent business negligently advised him when he bought "derelict" student accommodation in England that turned out to be "effectively worthless."
December 03, 2025
Insurance Sector Could Take $200M Hit From HK Towers Fire

The global insurance industry could face a combined loss of approximately $200 million from the fire that tore through a high-rise housing complex in Hong Kong last week, according to a credit ratings agency that specializes in the sector.
December 03, 2025
Hogan Lovells-Led Asurion To Acquire UK Insurer D&G

U.S. technology insurance firm Asurion LLC said it has agreed to acquire Domestic & General, an appliance care provider, in a bid to become a major player in the growing device and white goods appliance insurance sector.
December 03, 2025
FCA Brings Forward Date To Tackle Motor Finance Complaints

The Financial Conduct Authority said Wednesday it would end the pause on some complaints about motor finance deals on May 31, two months earlier than it had originally planned.

Editor's Picks

Top Court Ruling In 'Whiplash' Test Case Could Hit Premiums

Personal injury claimants could get higher payouts from their motor insurance as a result of a test case ruling at Britain's highest court on Tuesday, although analysts warn that insurers could respond with higher premiums to cover the cost of bigger claims.
FCA Begins Crackdown On Poor-Value Insurance Products

The move by the Financial Conduct Authority to restrict sales of guaranteed asset protection insurance is a sign of a faster approach to market intervention, and could lead the regulator to scrutinize other underperforming products, consultants say.
Post-Election UK Pension Changes Could Be In The Fine Print

Regulatory lawyers are not expecting radical overhaul in pension policies if the government changes after this year's general election. But lawyers say that signals in the opposition Labour Party's policy language could hint at possible shifts in investment priorities for retirement savings.

Expert Analysis

A Look At Factors Affecting Ombudsman Complaint Trends

Lawyers at Womble Bond provide an analysis of the Financial Ombudsman Service's complaint trends in 2025, highlighting the impact of changes within the FOS and external factors on the financial sector's redress system.
What To Know About FCA's Short Selling Regime Proposals

Although the Financial Conduct Authority’s recent proposals for changes to the U.K. short selling regime do not materially alter the rules, targeted reforms designed to reduce the administrative burden placed on position holders will be welcomed by market participants, say lawyers at McDermott.
EBA Proposals Signal Overhaul Of EU 3rd-Party Risk Rules

The European Banking Authority’s plans to extend third-party risk controls to non-ICT services, which may be finalized by the end of the year, will place a significant compliance and operational burden on in-scope entities, which should not be underestimated, say lawyers at Travers Smith.
FCA Proposals Reduce Consumer Duty Compliance Burden

The Financial Conduct Authority’s recent proposals to streamline the consumer duty regime represent a pragmatic response to industry concerns, with a move toward sector-specific supervision and potentially narrowing its scope for wholesale and cross-border business, say lawyers at Simmons & Simmons.
How New Companies House ID Rules Affect Businesses

Lawyers at Shepherd & Wedderburn discuss the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act’s new mandatory identity verification requirements for all company directors and persons with significant control, set to go live next week, which aim to curb fraud by improving the reliability of information held by Companies House.
What EU Securitization Proposals Signal For Risk Transfers

If implemented, recent amendments to the European Union securitization framework are expected to have an unambiguously positive effect on significant risk transfer markets, providing greater consistency and necessary flexibility, say lawyers at McDermott.
What To Know About EU's Reimposition Of Sanctions On Iran

Lawyers at Steptoe discuss the European Union’s recent reimposition of trade and financial sanctions against Iran, which will introduce legal and operational constraints that affect EU companies' commercial activities in the region.
FCA Crypto Proposals Herald Tougher Oversight For Firms

The Financial Conduct Authority’s recent proposals to extend regulation to crypto-asset activities will bring parity, but implementation of the operational resilience requirements and enhanced financial crime controls will present compliance challenges, says Michelle Kirschner at Gibson Dunn.
What EBA Report Means For Non-EU Financial Firms

In a recent report concerning unregulated third country banks, the European Banking Authority decided not to extend a bank-to-bank exemption under the Capital Requirements Directive, raising a number of compliance issues for cross-border services, say lawyers at A&O Shearman.
What To Note From FCA, Gov't Financial Growth Proposals

Recent Financial Conduct Authority and government proposals for financial services reform are positive developments for firms, signaling a drive to push forward growth and a willingness to be flexible in areas of regulation that the industry has long raised as barriers, say lawyers at Simmons & Simmons.
FCA Misconduct Guide Will Expand Firms' Duty To Investigate

The Financial Conduct Authority's recent proposals on workplace nonfinancial misconduct will place a greater onus on compliance and investigations teams, clarifying that the question to ascertain is whether the behavior is justifiable and proportionate, say lawyers at Ashurst.
Mansion House Speech Heralds New Financial Regulatory Era

The chancellor of the exchequer's recent Mansion House speech introduced a sweeping commitment to modernize regulation, which will require U.K. retail banks and building societies to revisit core assumptions, and allow lawyers to play a key role in shaping the new rules, say lawyers at Addleshaw Goddard.
Key Points From EU Proposals To Ease Securitization Rules

The European Commission’s recently proposed securitization framework amendments aim to relax existing rules, such as by reducing due diligence requirements and removing the need for investors to conduct certain prescribed compliance verifications by sponsors or original lenders, say lawyers at McDermott.
What To Expect As FCA Preps To Launch AI Testing Service

The Financial Conduct Authority’s forthcoming artificial intelligence live testing service will provide participants with access to appropriate regulatory expertise, but to gauge the tool’s potential utility, it is important to understand how it fits in with what the regulator is already doing, says Omar Salem at Fox Williams.
EU Banking Watchdog Regulations Herald New AML Era

The European Banking Authority’s forthcoming anti-money laundering package will set a framework for compliance across the European Union by redefining the rules of engagement between financial institutions and supervisors, setting a new standard for transparency and accountability, say lawyers at A&O Shearman.