Zurich

Zurich plans to make 90 redundancies from its UK life business as part of cost cutting measures in light of the challenging economic environment.

One in three have been embellishing insurance applications in the hope of cheaper premiums, Zurich has said.

Insurer's ability to rapidly reprice protection products will be essential in the wake of the Gender Directive on 21 December, Zurich has said.

Pink has appointed Zurich Financial Services to its network protection panel, joining existing panel members Aviva, LV=, Pru Protect and Bright Grey.

The private medical insurance (PMI) market's two biggest players have seen a rise in the number of complaints escalated to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).

Zurich has revealed it paid 92% of critical illness (CI) claims last year.

The first report from new industry research body, The Syndicate is focusing on consumer behaviour and self-image in a protection setting.

Half of insurers are now offering some form of HIV Life Assurance, up from 35% last year, according to medical financial advisers Unusual Risks.

Zurich has urged advisers to be prepared for the impact of gender neutrality on their clients and business.

With many legislative changes in the works, the group risk market is hesitant at present. Owain Thomas examines the bigger picture of what is to come for group income protection.