Emmanuel Kenning reviews the news

This week we spoke to Emmanuel Kenning, Senior Reporter at Insurance Post to get his take on the past week in insurance news.

What has been the stand-out story for you in the insurance market this week - and why?

I’m going to follow the time-honoured tradition of answering a slightly different question. The Covid-19 business interruption insurance legal test case was huge news in 2020. And it was interesting to see from Mishcon De Reya’s statement that people are already looking at legal angles in the reinsurance market too.

Which news this week do you think will have the most long-term impact on the insurance industry/profession?

Not really one story and not even about this week, more in fact a theme – broker consolidation. In the past few days (and weeks) it has felt turbo-charged/on steroids/whatever description you want. With so much happening so fast it has been hard to keep up at times and is changing the market.

Who is your insurance personality of the week and why?

Bill Pieroni, CEO of Acord. A fascinating person to interview, so many thoughts and insights, great turns of phrase and analogies. Fair to say he would challenge anyone’s shorthand skills.

What has been the most interesting/intriguing/surprising item you have seen in the background of any video-based calls so far this year and why?

To continue the theme of cheating and not really answering the question posed, it would have to be Phil Bayles’ wine rack. It was back in November when we hosted the British Insurance Awards online but I’m still struggling to understand its gravity defying brilliance.

And finally: If you could interview anyone from the world of insurance and they had to answer your question 100% truthfully, who would it be and what would you ask them?

To end as I started. I’d actually really like to interview Tidjane Thiam. If you’ve never listened to him on Desert Island Discs look it up. I’d ask about his new blank cheque company and for his reflections on general insurance.