Despite comments from the AA just a few days ago regarding UK car insurance premiums, which have fallen in the first quarter of 2010, many people are still not taking advantage of the weakness in car insurance premiums. The truth is that no insurer will offer you a cheaper deal unless you ask and cheap car insurance will not fall onto your lap!
In a surprising development the AA has revealed a fall of 3.2% in car insurance premiums in the first three months of 2010. This compares to an increase of 18.7% during the whole of 2009 with the average cost of comprehensive car insurance cover now standing at £968. So what does the rest of 2010 hold for the UK car insurance industry?
Despite the fact that the regulator has performed something of a partial U-turn and will now allow Quinn Insurance, the troubled Irish insurance company, to partially re-enter the UK insurance market there are fears regarding those employed by the company. It seems inevitable there will be job cuts and this figure could be as high as 1,000 jobs if as expected the company is banned from further involvement in the Irish insurance market and the partial re-entry to the UK sector is not widen.
Grant Thornton, the official administrators of the Quinn Insurance empire, has today confirmed that while interest has been shown in the operations there have been no discussions with potential buyers of the business. The Quinn Insurance saga appears to be getting more complicated by the day with court action, comments from the administrators and comments from the regulators appearing to cast different light upon the direction the story will take.
Quinn insurance, the Irish insurance company currently under investigation by the financial regulator, will today make moves to reopen its UK operation which was barred from writing new business last week. The move comes as founder Sean Quinn continues his battle with the regulator in an attempt to reopen parts of his business, which has struggled since intervention by the financial regulator.
Sean Quinn, the founder of Quinn Insurance, yesterday served various papers on the Irish financial regulator which have resulted in a week-long reprieve before the company is possibly placed into permanent administration. As we covered in one of our earlier articles, the Irish regulator stepped in to effectively try and close down Quinn Insurance last week citing various regulatory problems and concerns.
The Irish financial regulatory authorities have today placed Quinn Insurance Ltd, one of Ireland's largest insurance companies, into administration amid unclear matters which have come to light after an investigation of the company. However, the company, founded by one of Ireland's richest investors Sean Quinn, believes it could have corrected the mystery issues without being placed into administration.
Under immense pressure from the financial services industry the Financial Services Authority (FSA) has today confirmed that the consultation period regarding the potential mis-selling of payment protection insurance will be extended by a further six weeks. This is a blow to the consumer sector where a number of customers have already stepped forward alleging they were mis-sold payment protection insurance by various financial institutions.
John Hargreaves, the founder of discount clothing store Matalan, is rumoured to be looking at a potential refinancing of the company which could see him pocket a £250 million special dividend. The company has been for sale for some time although potential buyers refused to match the £1.5 billion price tag and the sale was pulled some weeks ago. However it is believed that the company is looking towards a potential £500 million plus refinancing which would refinance existing debt and also allow the company to pay a special dividend to John Hargreaves.
The AA insurance has today commented upon the state of the UK motor insurance market with a suggestion that the average comprehensive motor insurance policy is now costing in excess of £1000 a...