Weblog - 4 Mar 2010

The most popular story on the Insurance Times website over the last week was centered on two significant players from two major industries.

In the insurance corner, you had broking giant Towergate – a name regularly figuring in the top 10 most-read stories – and, making a guest appearance in the opposite corner, you had John Charcol from the mortgage sector.

Insurancetimes.co.uk visitors first became aware of the link between the two firms when we ran a story that Towergate was eyeing the mortgage broker as its next major acquisition. The following day, our story was confirmed by the consolidator, which announced the completion of the deal for the firm that has been badly hit by the housing market crisis.

The deal caught the eye of a number of other websites too, including the FT Adviser site, which ran comments from Towergate Financial chief executive Ian Darby confirming John Charcol was bought out of administration.

The business section of Kent Online also ran the story, linking the deal to ‘local entrepreneur’ Peter Cullum, who is based in Maidstone. The Times website also ran a piece on Cullum in its regular ‘Business big shot’ feature, describing him as a “deal-doer”.

Another deal that got mouse buttons clicking was Swinton’s capture of CBG’s personal lines business. Elsewhere, Jelf was back in the headlines, announcing its 2009 results and new investors in the shape of US private equity giants Cap Z.

Last but not least, make sure you check out photos from the first of this year’s AXA regional roundtable events, in the photo galleries section of the site.

Online Top 10

1 Towergate buys John Charcol

Consolidator will retain John Charcol brand, its London office, and promises no redundancies

2 FSA warns brokers over finances

Letter sent to brokers warning them to strengthen financial resources

3 RBS Insurance profit collapses by 90%

Insurer blames rising cost of bodily injury claims for decimated profit

4 CBG sells PL arms to Swinton

Plan to focus on commercial and high net worth clients

5 Insurance Times top 20 personalities in claims

The oft-forgotten claims sector is ready for its close-up

6 RSA struggles in ‘tough’ UK

Premiums and profits fall and combined ratio rises

7 Straw unveils one-off plaques package

Justice secretary announces £5,000 for asbestos-linked condition sufferers

8 US private equity giant buys 25% stake in Jelf

Cap Z buys out 3i's stake in Jelf; Jelf to raise £19m with share placing

9 Peter Wood: Calm and in control

Wood insists patience and hard work is the name of the game for now

10 Blackham tipped to join former colleagues at Aquilla

Chris Blackham could chair start-up property broker