I wondered why he had suddenly started quoting Cicero.  He and Carrie had obviously started discussing names.

 

Covid-19 support fund

 

As you may have read in the trade press, ABI is seeking to co-ordinate a fund to provide charitable donations from our industry.  The fund will work with the Charities Aid Foundation to provide urgent support in three core areas.

 

  • Community based charities who are under unprecedented strain.
  • The most vulnerable – families and children living in greatest poverty and older people in isolation in particular.
  • Helping businesses to help their employees including wellbeing and mental health.

 

I am acutely aware of the challenge that the current crisis is posing for all of you as businesses.  The need to focus resources on helping your clients and your own firms through the lockdown is paramount.  And equally I appreciate that you are already active in charitable and community work.  So LIIBA agreed that we would pass on this information only so that those of you who might like more details were aware of the initiative.  If you do want to know more, please contact Clare Lebecq at London Market Group (clare.lebecq@lmg.london)

 

Why I am so wise (and other works of Nietzsche)

 

As we know, this is all about me. So just to point you in the direction of my article in the Insurer on ways in which we could adapt the way we talk about insurance to appeal more to our clients.  And also a podcast that I recorded with Steve White and Clare Lebecq.

 

There but for the grace

 

The advantage of the podcast over the now normal methods of communicating these days?  No camera.  And thus no danger of the fate that befell US TV reporter Will Reeve.  Rather generously, this article suggests he was wearing “shorts”.  But look closely.  Boxer shorts at best.

 

As you know, LIIBA’s very own James Livett has an idiosyncratic approach to the lockdown wardrobe.  And, arguably, wasn’t wearing any trousers the day he had to pay the window cleaner.  But I have a new challenge for him.

 

Support

 

IIL is running a webinar on how to access the various government support schemes that may be of interest.  Free for member of the Institute but you do need to pre-register.

 

A return to returns

 

As reported the other day, FCA has elongated the deadlines for a number of regulatory reports.  It has added updated guidance to its website on this.

 

Feline Olympics

 

Many people are missing live sport and finding other ways to compensate.  But this seems to take things a bit far.  Although I did involuntarily snigger when I first saw the headline and both dogs immediately woke up and scuttled out of the room.

 

King of the world

 

A few observations from today’s meeting of the World Council of the World Federation of Insurance Intermediaries – one world is never enough.

 

  • Confirmation from our Californian colleagues that it is unlikely that any insurer is going to act on the Insurance Commissioner’s instruction to return premiums where the customer is not currently carrying out insured activity (eg motor premiums) until there has been confirmatory litigation.
  • Interestingly, in South Africa, where premium payment holidays and other discounts are being introduced, insurers are not looking to reclaim commission payments.
  • In South Africa they have banned the sale of yeast to prevent people brewing their own beer.
  • We were joined by Yoshi Kawai who chairs OECD’s Insurance and Personal Pensions Committee (which our immediate past chairman addressed last December).  It will meet in June to consider approaches to public/private partnerships to provide future cover for pandemics.   Yoshi does see a role for OECD potentially co-ordinating a supra-national response on this.  We have offered our help and input into this work.

 

Insecting

 

Ministry of Defence is to carry out tests to determine if an insect repellent can cure Covid-19.  Which will be a use for insect repellents which never seem to me to be any good at repelling insects.  So one must speculate what other seemingly useless items might find a role in combatting the virus?  Until now I have seen no earthly point in ornamental fish, parsley and Skodran Mustafi.  But maybe, just maybe, ground up together and mixed with water they could provide the gamechanger we are all looking for?  Or at least a preferable option at centre back.

 

 

On reflection, Cicero Symonds sounds quite good.