Samuel Casey reviews the news

This week we spoke to Samuel Casey, senior reporter at Insurance Insider, to get his take on the past week in insurance news.

What has been the stand-out story for you in insurance this week - and why?

I think it has to be Howden’s acquisition of Aston Lark, the biggest ever deal for the expansive broker and the latest incident of major broker consolidation in the industry.

Which news this week do you think will have the most long-term impact on the insurance industry?

It emerged this week that premium income for International Underwriting Association members increased by 20% in 2020, a big jump for the London company market. If that level of growth proves to be an ongoing trend it could have a big impact.

Who is your insurance personality of the week and why?

Peter Blanc, who secured such a large multiple for Aston Lark in the Howden acquisition.

What has been the most interesting/intriguing/surprising item you have seen in the background of any video-based calls so far this year and why?

The most interesting was the wonderful view of the City in Stephen Catlin’s background when he spoke to our virtual conference from the Convex offices. After so long stuck at home, it was far more interesting to look at than somebody’s bedroom/study/shed.

And finally: If you could interview anyone from the world of insurance and they had to answer your question 100% truthfully, who would it be and what would you ask them?

It would be fascinating to know from anybody on the Aon or Willis executive teams when they knew the deal was not going to go through.