Zurich UK has launched an AI apprenticeship programme and has enrolled 92 staff on the 17-month programme. The insurer said the training would give them practical skills as well as the necessary ethical framework to support their ability to apply AI technologies in a responsible way.

Money app Plum has expanded its Plum Max subscription plan to offer worldwide travel cover backed by Aspire and Lloyd’s. Embedded insurance specialist Qover’s AI technology will handle the claims, insurance services and risk carrier management required to facilitate the enhanced programme.

Managing general agent Elevate Specialty has announced a primary carrier capacity partnership with Hadron UK Insurance. Elevate provides a range of covers including landlord, commercial and personal legal insurance as well as cyber insurance and home emergency.

Howden has acquired retail broker PIBL, which is based in the Channel Islands. Howden said the deal would strengthen its ability to service clients in Jersey and Guernsey. PIBL specialises in offering services to high net worth individuals, family offices and trust companies.

Clear Group has acquired Gauntlet Retail Brokers and Gauntlet Appointed Representative Network, which it will integrate into its Brokerbility network proposition. Roger Gaunt founded Leeds-based Gauntlet Retail Brokers in 1994 with a focus on commercial business. In 2009, the firm launched its appointed representative network.

In 2026, the Managing General Agents’ Association will focus on developing member value, improving its technical training proposition and deepening market engagement. The MGAA detailed its priorities at its annual general meeting and said it would also push to increase the profile of the delegated underwriting sector.

Arch Insurance International has launched an event cancellation cyber product offering cover for cancellation, abandonment, curtailment, interruption, postponement or relocation of an event resulting from an unauthorised, malicious or criminal cyber act, or computer system failure.

Addept Insurance Services has launched a legal protection product for landlords that provides cover for the legal costs resulting from the illegal transfer of a property title or a property being let or sub-let without a landlord’s express permission.

Managing general agent Hive Underwriters will develop a specialty marine insurance proposition under Nick Lewis when he joins the business as marine chief underwriting officer in July. He was previously head of marine, international at Everest Insurance and is currently seeing out his contractual obligations with the firm.

AUB Group Holdings Limited has entered into an agreement to take a majority stake in PIHL Holdings Limited (Prestige Insurance). The deal includes Prestige Insurance’s broking businesses AbbeyAutoline, Open and Direct, Bond Lovis and Find Insurance NI; its MGA businesses Prestige Underwriting and Octane London Market; and its technology platform Covernet.

The insurance sector has slashed its board-level gender pay gap to 3% in 2024, down from the 28% recorded in 2020, according to findings from EY’s latest Global Financial Services Boardroom Monitor.

Willis has returned to the light and recreational general aviation market after a 30-year hiatus. It said the recent arrival of the team from Lloyd’s broker Crispin Speers ensured Willis could now meet the needs of aviation operators flying microlights, balloons, gliders, commercial drones and light fixed wing aircraft.

Data from HMRC shows that insurance premium tax receipts totalled £6.8bn for the first nine months of the 2025/26 tax year. This is £115m up on receipts for the same period in the previous tax year, which went on to achieve a record total for IPT receipt of £8.88bn.

Willis has said 2025 was a year of recalibration for the aviation market in which there was a wave of claims and legal disputes following a High Court ruling that found claims for aircraft stranded in Russia were covered under the contingent section of the aircraft lessors’ hull war insurance policies.

Scor and Axa have partnered on the launch of a new Lloyd’s of London consortium that will aim to improve access to financing for ecological restoration projects by de-risking the associated investment opportunities. Scor’s syndicate 2015 will lead the consortium, supported by Axa XL’s syndicate 2003.

Admiral Pioneer, which is part of Admiral Group, has partnered with Octopus Electric Vehicles to provide motor insurance as part of the leasing agreement offered to employees accessing electric vehicles through salary sacrifice schemes. The integration is being powered by Root Platform’s API-first technology.