Weblog - 16 December 2010

It’s been one hell of a year on the Insurance Times website. Breaking news stories aside, we also began offering subscriber-only, web-exclusive content.

So it is clear why our online readers keep coming back for more, especially when you take a look at our top 10 stories of the year.

No surprise over the number one spot. Back in April, I tipped Quinn to be near, if not top of, the most-clicked list for the year. Sure enough, that very first story – breaking the news that administrators had been appointed to the Irish insurer on a Tuesday afternoon at the end of March – received the most traffic. More than 100 Quinn updates appeared on our website over the following months, but that first story pipped them all.

Looking down the list, the FSA is at number two for a story on one of the many bans it has handed out this year, and chancellor George Osborne made it to number four with the news of an increase in IPT.

On a lighter note, our online readers went clicking crazy for ‘Insurance workers “most likely to hit the bottle”’.

Our list of winners from this year’s Insurance Times Awards was also a hit, coming in at number six.

Meanwhile, it has been a big year for AXA, and news of the departure of chief executive Philippe Maso also made it into the year’s top 10.

Other highlights on the Insurance Times site over the past year have included our photo galleries, notably the photo

special from the Biba conference. My live blog from the Global Leaders Forum in October was also popular.

Finally, over Christmas, don’t forget to keep an eye on your fantasy football and rugby teams as the fixtures come in thick and fast.

Online top 10 of 2010

1. Administrators appointed to Quinn Insurance

Irish Financial Regulator steps in ‘to protect policyholders’

2. FSA bans five following insurance fraud probe

Regulator also hands out biggest ever fine for insurance fraud

3. Insurer in record 13.75m motor payout

Guernsey court rules that insurer and reinsurers should pay for cyclist needing 24-hour care after road crash

4. Budget 2010: Small rise in IPT

Osborne raises insurance premium tax

5. Insurance workers 'most likely to hit the bottle'

Insurance has the most stressed workers, according to a survey

6. Insurance Times Awards: winners revealed

Allianz’s Chris Hanks scoops lifetime achiever award; RSA is general insurer of the year

7. Beazley co-founder Andrew Beazley dies

Deputy chairman Andrew Beazley has died aged 57

8. UK General Insurance chief executive resigns

Tim Rolfe steps down, citing family reasons

9. JLT's shares soar on Aon bid talk

City speculates on Aon buying 30.2% stake in Jardine Lloyd Thompson

10. AXA UK chief Maso out in shake-up

AXA UK restructures its general insurance business