13-20 Sept: Sam Barker's week

Wednesday

I spend the day at the Insurance Times Regional Broker Leaders Forum in York. The audience hears talks on e-trading, flooding and the future of broker networks. Hot topics of conversation outside the conference hall include e-trading and insurer commissions. In the afternoon, the more golf-mad attendees take to the greens, where, rumour has it, Brokerbility’s Ashwin Mistry excels himself.

Thursday

During the day, I work on pieces for Insurance Times magazine and, in the evening, I attend the leaving drinks of sister title Global Reinsurance’s markets editor Lauren Gow. It’s all work and no play.

Friday

The news breaks that Direct Line has announced a flotation, putting a stop to the ‘will they, won’t they’ rumour carousel. Then, I head over to the City of London Police headquarters near Liverpool Street to interview DCI Dave Wood, the head of the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department. I lose my bearings but am shown the way by a helpful old cockney window cleaner, who mentions that he knew the police building well. I thought it best not to ask why.

Monday

I cycle to work for the first time, contending with endless queues of buses, sleepy pedestrians and broken glass in the road all the way through the city. You certainly need to have your wits about you to avoid any scrapes. In the afternoon, I go to the Insurance Fraud Bureau headquarters to interview directors Phil Bird and David Neave.

Tuesday

I finish a couple of news stories and then head over to Don restaurant to cover a debate on underwriting for Insurance Times. Then, it’s off to an ABI conference to hear attendees’ thoughts on regulation, and back to the office to put the finishing touches to the magazine.