Insurer

Friends Life has increased new business in the last three months, with total sales reaching £292m - up 8% on the same period last year, its first quarter business update shows.

More UK households say they are struggling to pay bills, compared to last year.

Advisers have been asked for feedback on a draft good practice statement for insurers, ahead of ECJ Gender ruling implementation.

Swiss Re has reported "strong underwriting, good investment performance and lower than-expected major natural catastrophe claims" for a "very strong first-quarter" net income of $1.1bn compared to a loss of $665m for Q1 2011.

Insurance firm Aviva has suffered an embarassing blow after more than half its shareholders voted against its proposals on executive pay at its annual general meeting today.

RBS is set to follow Lloyds Bank's example and put more money into its payment protection insurance (PPI) compensation fund, according to reports.

Legal & General (L&G) is anticipating a drop-off in sales through financial advisers over the coming months and into early 2013 as firms concentrate on developing their business models for Retail Distribution Review (RDR) implementation.

Health Shield has joined an industry group dedicated to tackling the growing problem of healthcare fraud, such as medical negligence, benefit cheats and scams, becoming an associate member of the Health Insurance Counter Fraud Group (HICFG).

Lloyds Bank has announced that its payment protection insurance misselling has cost it a further £375m.

Ratings agency Standard and Poor's said UK building societies have survived the financial crisis in better health than the UK banking industry as a whole, in a report.