NU seeks commission cuts as profits slump

Norwich Union (NU) will look to cut the commissions paid to some brokers in a bid to reduce its distribution costs, the new chief executive of its general insurance business said this week.

The comment by Igal Mayer, who was appointed to the role last month, came as the insurance giant saw its interim profits more than halve on the back of the extreme flooding.

Mayer told Insurance Times: “The share [of premiums] going to brokers is at its peak.”

NU saw broker commissions written in the first half of the year soar to £666m  — an increase of £21.2m on 2006. This was partly attributed to the large commissions negotiated by consolidating brokers.

The commission ratio increased to 24.3% from 21.9% in 2006. 

Asked if NU’s commission levels were too high, Mayer said: “I want to see the total cost of distribution at a better level than it is today. We need to have that discussion with brokers.”

He said the level of commission should depend on the amount of work, such as claims administration, that a broker does for an insurer.

Mayer said: “If a broker takes on more, he should get paid for it.”

Mayer’s comments appear to indicate a more bullish stance on commission levels than had previously been disclosed by the insurer.

In March, Mayer’s predecessor Simon Machell said that overall commission levels were too high. He went as far as to say that “there may need to be a correction”.

NU reported operating profits of £269m for the first half of the year, down 52% on the same period last year.

It made an underwriting loss of £47m, compared to an underwriting profit of £233m in 2006.

The latest figures include a £235m loss from the January storms and the June floods. NU released £245m of reserves to counteract the loss.

The insurer’s household book made an underwriting loss of £177m.