Introduction

The UK General Insurance Competitor Tracker Q4 2009 reviews the major developments among the leading competitors in the UK general insurance market including AXA, Aviva, LV=, RBS Insurance, RSA and Zurich. It includes information on a range of issues including new product launches, new affinity partnerships and other trading relationships.

Scope

*Information on business performance, new product developments, acquisition activity, new corporate partnerships and other new trading relationships.

*Insight on the following competitors: Allianz, AXA, Aviva, Fortis, Groupama, LV=, RBS Insurance, RSA, and Zurich.

Highlights

British Gas is seeking to become a top 10 insurer within three years after it received approval for its British Gas Insurance (BGI) venture from the Financial Service Authority (FSA) in August 2009.

QBE purchased Evergreen and the portfolio's renewal rights from MSP Underwriting, a Lloyd's underwriting agency owned by Munich Re.

Reasons to Purchase

*Keep up to date with the new trading relationships that your competitors have entered into including deals with affinity partners.

*Understand the new products which your competitors are bringing to market, the main features of these products and the intended target market.

*Keep abreast of the insurance company or broker acquisitions that your competitors are making.

 VIEW 1
SUMMARY 1
ANALYSIS 2
Overview 2
Allianz launched two new quoting platforms for brokers and solicitors and witnessed its commercial lines GWP increase by 10.5% 2
Allianz launched an online quote and buy facility for ATE insurance 2
Allianz Insurance's commercial line grew by 10.5% in Q3 despite the recession 2
Allianz launched two new legal protection products for its broker partners 3
Aviva added pet insurance to its direct insurance range and launched a new offering to small motor traders 3
Aviva won a three-year deal with Thornside and added pet insurance to its direct insurance range 3
Aviva launched a new offering which provides greater flexibility to small motor traders 3
Barclays extended Aviva's contract as a sole home insurance provider until 2015 4
AXA launched an iPhone application to allow customers to make claims from their mobile phones 4
AXA launched an iPhone application for claims and promised to respond to any claims made from the application within two hours 4
British Gas' recruitment advert revealed its ambition to become a top 10 UK insurer by 2011 4
British Gas is aiming to become a top 10 UK insurer by 2011 4
Fortis to shift more focus to its commercial lines business 5
Fortis grew its GWP by 6.1% in Q3 2009 and has shifted more focus to its commercial lines business 5
QBE acquired Evergreen from Lloyd's underwriting agency to grow its property offering 5
QBE bought Evergreen from MSP Underwriting 5
RBS is ordered to sell its insurance division within four years, while Direct Line has included airline bankruptcy cover to its travel insurance product 5
Direct Line includes airline bankruptcy cover in its travel insurance policies 5
Churchill and Direct Line are expected to be floated in two years 6
RSA reported that its NWP had contracted to £1,976m in Q3 2009 6
RSA saw its UK NWP income contract by 3% for the first nine months in 2009 6
Zurich announced that it will be increasing rates by 20% in its private motor business 6
Zurich intends to increase rates by 20% in personal motor to improve profitability 6
Towergate secured a three-year deal with the Bannatyne Group, while Broker Direct announced a partnership with RSA 7
Towergate agreed a three-year deal with the Bannatyne Group 7
Broker Direct partnered with RSA to launch a new retailers' product 7
LV= joined Cobra Network, giving Cobra Network members immediate access to the LV= Broker Gateway 7
APPENDIX 9
Ask the analyst 9
 consulting 9
Disclaimer 9

List of Figures
Figure 1: Cobra Network members will have immediate access to the LV= Broker Gateway 8