Optio launches Amsterdam-based specialty & transactional risk MGA Pinnacle
Optio Group (Optio), an independent specialty managing general agent (MGA), has launched Amsterdam-headquartered specialty and transactional risk MGA, Pinnacle Specialty Insurance. The new MGA will offer its services across the European Economic Area in warranty and indemnity (W&I) and tax liability, with limits of up to EUR 20 million and up to EUR 10 million for…
Gallagher appoints marine insurance specialist Darren Rowland to senior role
Gallagher, an international insurance brokerage and risk management company, has appointed Darren Rowland as executive director of hull and war risks within its global marine practice. Based in London, Rowland will use his more than four decades of experience in marine broking to support clients worldwide, with a focus on providing tailored insurance cover and…
The Celebrity Traitors: 7 Questions We Desperately Need Answers To
Like many fans of The Celebrity Traitors, the BBC’s release schedule for the Bafta-winning reality show is something we have mixed feelings about. On one hand, only putting out new instalments on Thursdays and Fridays really drives up anticipation between episodes, which is exactly what you want in a show where the stakes and tension…
Sompo Indonesia establishes dedicated general syariah insurance company
Sompo Insurance Indonesia (Sompo Indonesia), part of Sompo International Holdings Ltd, has announced the official commencement of operations of PT Sompo Insurance Sharia (Sompo Syariah), a new general syariah insurance company. Since 2017, Sompo Indonesia has provided syariah-based asset protection services, offering insurance solutions tailored to the needs of individuals and businesses while adhering to…
TAL Dai-ichi Life Australia proposes acquisition of remaining Challenger shares
TAL Daiichi Life Australia Pty Limited (TDA), an Australian subsidiary of Daiichi Life Group, Inc., has submitted a non-binding indicative proposal to the Board of Challenger Limited for the potential acquisition of the remaining 79.5% of ordinary shares in Challenger at A$11.80 per share via a scheme of arrangement. In April 2025, Japanese insurance group…
The ‘Neglected’ Nutrient Linked To Better Ageing
Getting enough of certain vitamins has been linked to better health outcomes – adequate vitamin D consumption and fish oil supplementation, for example, could lower our risk of dementia; while a daily multivitamin could slow biological (cell-level) ageing, too. But not every nutrient that could benefit us over time is equally well-known. Choline, an “underconsumed…
The Fourth Trimester Is Treated Like An Afterthought. Something Has To Change
Having a baby is one of the most incredible things that our bodies can do – so why are mums abandoned as soon as the baby arrives? Our bodies change dramatically, and yet despite the sheer scale of the physical, emotional and psychosocial changes that follow pregnancy and childbirth, many mums receive remarkably little preparation…
Howden launches Employee Benefits & Pension business in Sweden led by Henrik Mohlin
Howden, the global insurance intermediary group, has launched a dedicated Employee Benefits (EB) & Pension business in Sweden, led by Henrik Mohlin, who has been appointed Head of Employee Benefits & Pension. The newly launched business broadens Howden’s Employee Benefits proposition for Swedish corporate clients and enhances Howden’s global employee benefits and pensions advisory practice,…
How To Get A ‘Free’ Baby Passport With easyJet
Parents can now get their baby’s first passport “free”, according to a new initiative from easyJet. Amid rising living costs and after spotting a 10% spike in infants travelling this year (compared to 2025), the travel provider said it will foot the bill for a newborn’s first UK passport – that’s £66.50 in total. In…
31 Cosy Christmas Gift Ideas, From Jumpers To Socks, Slippers, And Cushions
It’s tiiime (to be cosy). Personally, the biggest problem I have when buying Christmas presents is figuring out whether to go practical or frivolous. Often, the perfect thing is something that falls in the middle. If there’s one thing you can count on with winter, it’s that you’re going to need (if not want) to…
