Direct Line News

New British Insurance Premium Tax Hike Could Further Squeeze Insurer Margins

A tax hike on British motor and home insurance policies effective from Sunday is set to hit consumers and could trigger a fresh round of margin-squeezing price competition among general insurers. The jump in the insurance premium tax (IPT), to …

UK’s PI Insurance Sector Expected to Grow by Almost 6% Annually: Report

The professional indemnity and directors & officers insurance sector has grown constantly since 2012 and is expected to continue the upward trend until at least 2019, according to the findings of a new report by London-based business intelligence company, Timetric. …

U.K.’s Direct Line 2014 Profit Misses Estimates on Less Premiums Written

Direct Line Insurance Group plc reported 2014 pretax profit that missed analyst estimates as the British home and car insurer wrote less premiums. Pretax profit for continuing operations rose 12 percent to 456.8 million pounds ($702.8 million) in the year …

Reports Show Insurers Lag Behind in Adopting Technology

At a time when the financial sector is racing to embrace digital technology to boost sales and drive profits, the traditionally staid insurance industry is in danger of falling behind. Some insurers are using developments such as telematics, or social …

Direct Line Sells Overseas Businesses to Mapfre

Direct Line Insurance Group Plc sold its German and Italian businesses to Spain’s Mapfre SA for €550 million ($700 million) as the company pares back its international operations to cut costs and pay a dividend. The U.K.’s biggest home and …

Brokers Report Keen Direct Line Interest; But Some Investors Wary

Stockbrokers involved in the planned stock market listing of British insurer Direct Line reported good interest from private investors in London’s first big retail share offering for six years, although some potential investors are unconvinced. “The appetite has been really …

UK Auto Insurer Direct Line in Play as Private Equity Groups Circle

Direct Line, the UK’s largest motor [auto] insurer run by government-owned Royal Bank of Scotland, is a takeover target for private equity groups looking to pre-empt what would be one of the biggest initial public offerings in London this year. …