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Insurance UK
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July 03, 2025
Athora Eyes Stake In Pension Insurance Corp. In £5.7B Deal
Luxembourg investor Reinet said Thursday that retirement group Athora has approached it to buy its 49.5% stake in Pension Insurance Corp. in a deal that values the U.K. buyout specialist at £5.7 billion ($7.8 billion).
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July 03, 2025
Top Court To Hear Appeal In COVID Insurance Furlough Case
The U.K. Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal in a controversial case in which insurers effectively pocketed state subsidies intended for businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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July 03, 2025
Pinsent Masons-Led Chesnara To Buy HSBC Life For £260M
British pensions company Chesnara PLC said Thursday it has agreed to acquire the specialist life protection and investment bond provider of banking giant HSBC for £260 million ($355 million) to give the group a "material step up in scale."
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July 02, 2025
EU Finance Watchdog Sets Guidelines To Avoid Greenwashing
European financial services businesses must ensure any claims they make about the sustainability of their financial products or services are accurate, accessible, substantiated and up to date, according to guidance from the bloc's financial watchdog.
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July 02, 2025
Hotel Operator Says Ex-Director Stole £800K After Fire Payout
A hotel operator has alleged that its former director gained unauthorized access to its bank account three years after his resignation and stole almost £800,000 ($1.1 million) after an insurance payout for a fire that destroyed the building.
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July 02, 2025
'Decisive' Reform Needed To Fix Pension Issues, IFS Says
The government should widen the age range for employees being automatically included in a work-based pension, one of a raft of proposals that would address a series of risks to the future of Britain's pensioners, the Institute for Fiscal Studies said Wednesday.
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July 02, 2025
Fletchers Acquires Shoosmiths' Serious Injury Practice
Private equity-backed Fletchers Solicitors said Wednesday it has bought the serious injury unit of rival Shoosmiths LLP, continuing a series of high-profile deals for the claimant law firm.
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July 02, 2025
FCA Extends Bullying, Harassment Misconduct Across Sector
The Financial Conduct Authority released new rules on Wednesday that extend its regulatory powers to cover "toxic" workplace behavior such as bullying and harassment to non-banking firms.
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July 02, 2025
Regulator Calls For Open Banking-Style Reforms In Pensions
The U.K. retirement watchdog has called for a shakeup in data-sharing by pension providers similar to that practiced in the banking sector.
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July 02, 2025
Aviva Completes £3.7B Direct Line Acquisition
Aviva said Wednesday that it has completed the acquisition of insurance rival Direct Line in a £3.7 billion ($5.1 billion) cash and stock acquisition, after clinching final regulatory clearance.
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July 01, 2025
Mayer Brown-Led Aviva Seals Pension Deal For Packaging Co.
Aviva said Tuesday that it has completed a £249 million ($341 million) buy-in transaction to acquire the pensions of approximately 3,500 members of the Molins UK Pension Fund.
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July 01, 2025
Gov't Warned On Impact Of Pension Reforms On Small Biz
Small businesses might have to raise prices, cut jobs or face lower profit margins if the government goes ahead with potential plans to increase employer pension contributions amid its wider probe into retirement savings adequacy, a trade group has said.
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July 01, 2025
AI Risks Leaving UK Businesses Exposed To Insurance Gaps
Businesses that replace workers with artificial intelligence tools could face difficulties when they make claims under standard negligence insurance policies after consumers lose out, lawyers say.
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July 01, 2025
Pension Trustees Urged To Help Shape FCA Guidance Rules
The U.K.'s retirement savings watchdog has called for trustees of pension plans to respond to a major shakeup of rules guiding what level of financial guidance can be issued by providers.
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July 01, 2025
BNP Paribas Seals €5.1B Axa Investment Management Buy
BNP Paribas Cardif said on Tuesday that it has finalized its purchase of the investment management business of French insurer Axa for an estimated €5.1 billion ($6 billion).
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July 01, 2025
Aviva's £3.7B Direct Line Deal Gets CMA Approval
The competition regulator said Tuesday that it has waved through Aviva's £3.7 billion ($5.1 billion) cash and stock acquisition of rival insurer Direct Line, granting the deal its final regulatory clearance.
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June 30, 2025
EU Watchdog Pushes For Stronger Greenwashing Controls
The European Union's markets watchdog warned national regulators Monday to supervise better how investment managers disclose sustainability-related factors of funds.
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June 30, 2025
Finance Gender Gap Progress Too Slow, Gov't Report Warns
A body set up by HM Treasury to increase the representation of women at senior levels in finance warned Monday that improving gender parity in the sector remains too slow and urged companies to "accelerate" their efforts.
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June 30, 2025
Insurer Competition Drives Down Pension Plan Costs
Increased competition in the pensions insurance market has driven down costs to their lowest level in two years, professional services company Aon said Monday.
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June 30, 2025
EU Eyes Adding ESG Risk In Stress Tests For Banks, Insurers
Three European Union finance watchdogs have proposed rules to ensure that national banking and insurance regulators integrate environmental, social and governance risks into supervisory stress-testing in a more harmonized way.
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June 30, 2025
BP Marsh Raises Stake In RPC-Advised Broker To 39%
Private equity investor B.P. Marsh said Monday that it has snapped up an additional 2% interest in Pantheon for £5.5 million ($7.5 million), expanding its holding in the Lloyd's market broker to 39%.
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June 30, 2025
FCA's New Enforcement Regime Threatens Firms, Individuals
The Financial Conduct Authority could damage the reputations of businesses and individuals under investigation in cases that it publicizes anonymously as an unintended consequence of a new enforcement policy, lawyers have warned.
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June 29, 2025
FCA Presents Targeted Support Rules For Finance Firms
The Financial Conduct Authority said Monday it has set out a fast-track plan to allow financial services firms to provide a new type of "targeted support" to unadvised customers about pensions and investments.
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June 27, 2025
EU Watchdog Floats Allowing Funds Some Riskier Investing
The European Union's market watchdog has recommended that the European Commission should reform the rule book governing the bloc's retail investors, calling for a more relaxed stance on alternative assets investments and improved regulatory harmonization across member states.
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June 27, 2025
Pensions Admin Staff To Strike Amid Takeover Plan
A union for public sector workers announced a six-week-long strike action Friday against the management of pension administrator MyCSP, ahead of a planned takeover of the administration of civil service pensions by professional services company Capita.
Expert Analysis
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Breaking Down The New UK Pension Funding Regs
Recently published U.K. pension regulations, proposing major changes to funding and investing in defined benefit pension schemes, raise implementation considerations for trustees, including the importance of the employer covenant, say Charles Magoffin and Elizabeth Bullock at Freshfields.
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Decoding UK Case Law On Anti-Suit Injunctions
The English High Court's forthcoming decision on an anti-suit injunction filed in Augusta Energy v. Top Oil last month will provide useful guidance on application grounds for practitioners, but, pending that ruling, other recent decisions offer key considerations when making or resisting claims when there is an exclusive jurisdiction clause in the contract, says Abigail Healey at Quillon Law.
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Cayman Islands Off AML Risk Lists, Signaling Robust Controls
As a world-leading jurisdiction for securitization special purpose entities, the removal of the Cayman Islands from increased anti-money laundering monitoring lists is a significant milestone that will benefit new and existing financial services customers conducting business in the territory, say lawyers at Walkers Global.
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How Decision On A Key Definition Affects SMEs
The Financial Conduct Authority's decision not to extend the definition of small and midsized enterprises may benefit banks and finance providers in the current high interest rate environment and where SMEs in certain sectors may be under financial pressure in light of the cost-of-living crisis in order to streamline it, says Rachael Healey at RPC.
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Employers Can 'Waive' Goodbye To Unknown Future Claims
The Scottish Court of Session's recent decision in Bathgate v. Technip Singapore, holding that unknown future claims in a qualifying settlement agreement can be waived, offers employers the possibility of achieving a clean break when terminating employees and provides practitioners with much-needed guidance on how future cases might be dealt with in court, says Natasha Nichols at Farrer & Co.
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Acquisition Of AI Tech Poses Challenges For Media Industry
The artificial intelligence regulatory landscape is changing quickly, and media and entertainment companies planning to acquire AI technology through a merger, acquisition or licensing deal should be mindful of potential new compliance requirements and AI-specific insurance products, say lawyers at Covington.
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3 Financial Services Hot Topics To Watch In 2024
Technology, ESG and private markets are set to have the greatest impact on financial markets in 2024, as firms grapple with increasing regulatory change and a shifting political backdrop on both sides of the Atlantic, says Matthew Allen at Eversheds Sutherland.
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Misleading Airline Ads Offer Lessons To Avoid Greenwashing
Following the Advertising Standards Authority's recent decision that three airlines' adverts misled customers about their environmental impact, companies should ensure that their green claims comply with legal standards to avoid risking reputational damage, which could have financial repercussions, say Elaina Bailes and Olivia Shaw at Stewarts.
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CMA Guidance Can Help Businesses Act On Climate Change
Guidance recently published by the Competition and Markets Authority, which explains how competition law applies to sustainability and climate change agreements, provides clarity for businesses seeking to collaborate and emphasizes the regulator’s open-door policy, says Andrew Maxwell at Freeths.
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An Overview Of UK Short Selling Regulation Reforms
The steps taken by the U.K. government to reform the short selling regime show a thoughtful and considered approach and a willingness to listen to industry feedback in adapting the legacy EU regime to the realities of the U.K. markets, say Anna Maleva-Otto and Matthew Dow at Schulte Roth.
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Key Points From Ireland's New Accountability Framework
The recently introduced Individual Accountability Framework is a positive step for the financial services industry in Ireland, and in contributing to cultural and practical change will encourage positive behavior and good governance for the benefit of the industry and investors, say Aongus McCarthy and Niall Esler at Walkers Global.
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Pension Industry Should Monitor Evolving ESG Issues In 2024
ESG thinking in the pensions industry has substantially evolved from focusing on climate change and net-zero to including nature and social considerations, and formalizing governance processes — illustrating that, in 2024, continually monitoring ESG issues sits squarely within trustee fiduciary duties, says Liz Ramsaran at DWF.
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Looking Ahead At AI Regulation In The EU And UK
With AI regulation agreed upon in Europe and a U.K. regulatory authority on the horizon, organizations developing AI should consider deploying governance, addressing accountability and establishing internal guardrails to achieve a balanced approach to responsible innovation while managing risk, says Chris Eastham at Fieldfisher.
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Emerging Trends From A Busy Climate Litigation Year
Although many environmental cases brought in the U.K. were unsuccessful in 2023, they arguably clarified several relevant issues, such as climate rights, director and trustee obligations, and the extent to which claimants can hold the government accountable, illustrating what 2024 may have in store for climate litigation, say Simon Bishop and Patrick Kenny at Hausfeld.
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How Businesses Can Prepare For Cyber Resilience In 2024
With cybersecurity breaches one of the biggest threats to U.K. businesses and as legislation tightens, organizations should prioritize their external security measures in 2024 and mitigate risks by being well-informed on internal data protection procedures, says Kevin Modiri at Nelsons.