Daily Motor News – Friday 27 February 2026  

The under-25 motor market is being misread 

Over the past two years, many insurers have reduced exposure to under-25 drivers. The rationale appeared clear. Claims volatility increased, regulatory reform narrowed pricing flexibility, premiums spiked, telematics became dominant, switching peaked and then fell. For many, this confirmed a simple narrative: the segment is high risk, commercially unstable and not worth the capital. Our analysis suggests that conclusion may no longer reflect market reality.  Read more

Allianz delivers strong full-year 2025 performance in the UK 

“I’m pleased with what Allianz UK has achieved in 2025, with revenue growth in all three lines of business – Commercial, Personal and Specialty. We also reduced our combined operating ratio (COR) by 2 percentagepoints, increased operating profit by almost 30% and improved productivity by 10%. All of which was delivered against a backdrop of soft market conditions and inflationary pressures.” Colm Holmes, Chief Executive Officer, Allianz UK. Read more

Swiss Re delivers record Group net income of USD 4.8 billion in 2025 

Swiss Re’s Group Chief Executive Officer Andreas Berger said: “In 2025 we delivered on two key priorities: achieving our Group financial target and strengthening the resilience of the company. Group net income reached the highest level in our history, reflecting disciplined underwriting, strong investment returns and low large loss activity outside of the first quarter.” Read more

Admiral expands co-branded repair network with Central Belt launch  

Admiral has continued the expansion of its co-branded repair network with the launch of a new centre in Glasgow, delivered in partnership with Steer Automotive Group. The new site will support customers across a large portion of Scotland’s Central Belt, one of the UK’s busiest repair regions. Read more

Should insurers train their own LLMs? 

Many insurers evaluating underwriting AI solutions may start to consider their LLM or model strategy: should we train our own models from scratch, fine-tune, or take a different approach entirely? Read more

Business travellers want more safety, support and reassurance 

Safety concerns, frequent disruption and rising expectations of employer support are reshaping how employees experience travel for work, and how they judge the companies they work for. Read more

Live rating: Five strategic imperatives for European insurers 

In the current European competitive environment, speed and accuracy of pricing are becoming decisive factors in market share and customer retention. Traditional offline pricing models are increasingly unable to keep pace with shifting risk profiles, dynamic customer expectations, and competitive pricing pressures, even in markets dominated by intermediaries. Read more

Toyota weighs ¥3 trillion exit from financial institution holders 

Toyota Motor Corp.’s potential unwinding of up to about 3 trillion yen (around US$19 billion) in strategic shareholdings held by banks and insurers is drawing attention across Japan’s financial sector, including among insurance groups that have been cutting back cross-shareholdings under regulatory and governance pressure. Read more

Vehicle production down in January amid weak global markets 

UK vehicle production fell -13.6% in January, according to the latest figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Factories produced 67,415 vehicles, comprising 65,249 cars and 2,166 commercial vehicles (CVs), the former declining by -8.2% compared with January last year, while CV output fell for the 10^th consecutive month, down -68.6% following a major plant restructuring. Read more

NAMA Market Update – February 2026: UK Wholesale Vehicle Market Shows Strong Performance 

“February has seen steady trading conditions, with good levels of activity and strong demand for the right stock,” said Paul Hill, spokesperson for the National Association of Motor Auctions (NAMA). Read more

Electric vehicle rental helps boost perceptions and alleviate anxiety 

The latest Net Promoter Score (NPS) for electric vehicles rented from Europcar Mobility Group UK shows significant improvement on the previous year. Calculated from customer satisfaction and likelihood to recommend a service to friends and family, the average monthly NPS for EV rental in 2025 increased by 8 points over 2024. Read more   

Nearly a million 16-24 year-old’s not working or in education 

The number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (Neet) has risen, edging closer to one million. Official estimates are that 957,000 people aged 16 to 24 in the UK were Neet in October to December 2025, or 12.8% of that age group. Read more

The great ownership transfer: a new era of business stewardship 

US: As millions of baby boomers retire, the United States is on the brink of an unprecedented wave of small-business ownership transitions—posing challenges for communities but also opening the door to economic renewal. Read more

AI liability in practice: what risk managers need to know now 

As artificial intelligence becomes more deeply embedded in business decision-making, questions of accountability, liability, and insurability are moving from theoretical concern to practical urgency. For risk managers, insurers, and corporate leaders alike, the challenge is no longer whether AI introduces new risks, but how those risks are understood, governed, and transferred in an environment where legal, regulatory, and technical frameworks are still evolving. Read more

Tokio Marine Kiln (TMK), a leading specialist insurer, is pleased to announce that Lauren Storer has joined as an Underwriter in its Property & Motor division, reporting to Neil Robertson, Divisional Head of Open Market Property. Read more

Tackling the cost of living crisis is the UK public’s top priority for government, according to a new poll from Deloitte and the think tank Re:State. Read more