Direct Line News

Ageas Says It Won’t Make Third Offer for Direct Line Insurance

Ageas said it will halt its pursuit of UK insurer Direct Line Insurance Group Plc after two takeover proposals were rejected this year. The Belgian insurer had put forth an offer valuing Direct Line at about £3.2 billion ($4.1 billion) …

UK Insurer Direct Line Posts Operating Loss as it Grapples With Auto Claims Inflation

Direct Line posted a 2023 operating loss as it grapples high motor claims inflation, but reinstated its dividend as the British home and motor insurer tries to fend off takeover offers from Belgian rival Ageas. The 189.6 million pound ($242.6 …

Update: UK Insurer Direct Line Rejects Ageas’ Sweetened Buyout Proposal

Britain’s Direct Line said on Wednesday it had rejected a revised 3.17 billion pound ($4.06 billion) takeover bid from Belgian rival Ageas, repeating that it “significantly undervalued” the home and motor insurer. Direct Line, a household name in insurance in …

Insurer Ageas Recruits Extra Adviser as it Pursues Direct Line Bid

Belgian insurer Ageas has brought in an additional adviser as it presses ahead with a potential takeover offer for Britain’s Direct Line, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Ageas has lined up Deutsche Bank to work alongside its …

UK Plc Attracts Wave of Takeover Offers From Foreign Suitors

The UK has become a hotbed for mergers and acquisitions this year as dealmakers hunt for bargains in the country’s underperforming stock market. Direct Line Insurance Group Plc and electronics retailer Currys Plc both rejected bids from overseas buyers this …

UK’s Direct Line Group Names Aviva’s Winslow as Group Chief Executive Officer

UK insurer Direct Line Group announced that Adam Winslow has been appointed as chief executive officer, subject to regulatory approval. It is expected that he will take up the role in the first quarter of 2024, succeeding Jon Greenwood who …

Car Premiums to Rise Again as British Insurers Feel the Heat

Motorists in Britain should brace for another year of steep insurance rises as providers confront cost pressures, industry figures have warned. Admiral Group Plc will continue increasing motor insurance prices and expects the rest of the market to follow suit, …

British Motor Insurers’ Shares Fall Sharply as Direct Line Scraps Dividend

Shares in Direct Line lost more than a quarter of their value on Wednesday after the British motor and home insurer unexpectedly scrapped its 2022 final dividend, with stocks in rivals Admiral and Aviva also falling sharply. Motor insurers performed …

UK Motor Insurer Direct Line to Raise Premiums After H1 Profit Hit

British motor insurer Direct Line is raising premiums after higher claims hit its first-half profits, as the company feels the effects of soaring prices for everything from used cars to spare parts. Chief Executive Penny James said on Tuesday the …

UK Auto Insurer Admiral Reinstates Special Dividend as Claims Drop During Lockdown

Insurer Admiral reinstated its special dividend on Wednesday as it reported a jump in first-half earnings, the latest car insurer to benefit from a slump in claims as coronavirus lockdowns kept Britons off the road in March and April. The …