Foreword from the Editor
I
t can be difficult to keep up with all the changes in the industry, as well as exciting developments at Lark Group, so we hope this edition of LARKlink helps keep you up to speed! The Insurance Act became law on August 12 so we suggest how best to prepare and be ready for the changes that are coming. At the same time, the Enterprise Act is also set to come into force which ensures that claim payments are made in a reasonable time. This is an important change in the law in England and all insurers must be alive to the risks of failing to pay claims promptly. We are also pleased to announce Lark Group’s new strategic partnership with Schillings, the reputation and privacy experts, regarding a cyber risk management offering (The Data Breach SWAT team), a subject that is becoming an evermore important part of business protection. In the boardroom, our Financial Director Carl Brown highlights his role here at Lark and talks about his career. There are details on Lark’s acquisition of Euromarine which strengthens our position in the market, along with our financial results for 2015. We talk to Jon Dye, CEO of Allianz UK, after the company was awarded the prestigious Excellence in Diversity Award 2016 and he shares his views on training, quotas and making cultural change in the business. It’s always important to refresh our minds on how insurers handle claims arising from employee staff schemes; in this edition we focus on Life, Private Medical and Income Protection policies. Do turn to page 23 for a refresher! Our charity endeavours continue to impress, and in this issue of LARKlink we focus on Richard Frankis, from our London Commercial team, who has been fundraising to support his nephew who is suffering from brain cancer. We are also in touch with our arty side! Did you know Sir David Attenborough is also an admirer and collector of 20th century art? Read our Lark exclusive interview with Sir David on page 18. The art of insurance is all here in LARKlink; we hope you find it a useful and lively read.
Julie Whitehead Director
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