Belgian insurer Ageas acquires UK’s Esure from Bain Capital for €1.5bn The deal will create the third largest motor and home insurer in the UK. Euronews · Apr 14, 2025
Belgian insurer buys Sheilas’ Wheels owner Esure in £1.3bn deal Ageas acquisition will unite two ‘complementary’ firms to create UK’s third-biggest home and motor insurer The Guardian - UK · Apr 14, 2025
Sheilas’ Wheels owner bought by Belgian insurer in £1.3bn deal Esure has been bought by Ageas, as the Belgian group looks to get more exposure to the UK personal lines insurance market. Evening Standard · Apr 14, 2025
Bedbug infestations spark surge in pest control call-outs across UK New data from Direct Line shows councils responded to an additional 52 rat or mouse-related call-outs per day in 2024 The Independent UK · Apr 8, 2025
Local authority pest control call-outs up 3% over a year Councils responded to an additional 52 rat or mouse-related call-outs per day last year compared with 2022, figures show. Evening Standard · Apr 8, 2025
Would you risk stealing a rottweiler? More and more criminals are prepared to … Almost three times as many rottweilers were stolen in the UK in 2024 as in 2023. Why would anyone want to mess with 60kg of unhappy guard dog? The Guardian - UK · Mar 12, 2025
Direct Line boss gets £7.8m pay packet despite surging insurance costs Adam Winslow was handed the deal as the company prepares for a £3.7 billion takeover by rival insurer Aviva. Evening Standard · Mar 11, 2025
Direct Line hails turnaround as average motor cover prices up The insurance giant is preparing to be bought by rival insurer Aviva after agreeing to a tie-up. The Independent UK · Mar 4, 2025
Aviva boss lands £7.2m pay package as results beat forecasts Chief executive Dame Amanda Blanc picked up a £2.2 million annual bonus and £3.7 million in long-term share awards for 2024. Evening Standard · Feb 27, 2025
FTSE 100 edges higher despite UK economy stalling in third quarter London’s FTSE 100 closed 18.11 points higher, or 0.22%, at 8,102.72. The Independent UK · Dec 23, 2024
Aviva to buy Direct Line in £3.7bn deal, putting 2,300 jobs at risk Insurance takeover is likely to cast a pall of uncertainty over Christmas for many staff of combined group The Guardian - UK · Dec 23, 2024
Aviva and Direct Line agree £3.7bn insurance tie-up The insurance mega-merger will cover more than a fifth of the total UK market if approved. Evening Standard · Dec 23, 2024
FTSE 100 Live 23 December: UK economy stalled in Q3, Direct Line £3.7bn takeover agreed Britain’s economy ground to a halt in the third quarter of the year, figures showed today. Evening Standard · Dec 23, 2024
Direct Line launches new motor insurance products on price comparison website The group announced in July that it planned to launch on price comparison websites for the first time in its history. The Independent UK · Dec 20, 2024
Evening Standard · Dec 6, 2024 Utilities drag on FTSE 100 after Thames Water receives rescue bid The FTSE 100 moved 40.77 points lower, or 0.49%, to close at 8,308.61.
The Guardian - UK · Dec 6, 2024 Investors up bets on Federal Reserve interest rate cut after US jobs data – as it happened Live, rolling coverage of business, economics and financial markets as American private sector adds 227,000 jobs in November
Evening Standard · Dec 6, 2024 Direct Line backs £3.6bn takeover move by rival Aviva Aviva made the sweetened approach after seeing a £3.3 billion takeover tilt rebuffed last month.
The Guardian - UK · Dec 6, 2024 Direct Line accepts £3.6bn takeover after rival insurer Aviva raises bid Preliminary agreement reached after third offer, which values Direct Line at 275p a share
The Guardian - UK · Dec 1, 2024 Boss of takeover target Direct Line wants time to turn around insurer New management at struggling firm, which rejected £3.3bn bid from Aviva, ‘making excellent progress’, says CEO
The Guardian - UK · Nov 28, 2024 The market is not sentimental. Direct Line’s days of independence look numbered Aviva offer looks to be opening shot in a negotiation – and Direct Line knows there will be a price at which it has to roll over
The Independent UK · Nov 28, 2024 London stocks close in green as takeover flurry drives FTSE 250 higher London’s top index finished 6.47 points higher to end the day at 8,281.22.
The Guardian - UK · Nov 28, 2024 George Osborne collects share of £30m after record profits at City advisory firm Ex-chancellor one of three partners to share sum at Robey Warshaw, co-founded by ‘trillion-dollar man’ Simon Robey
The Guardian - UK · Nov 28, 2024 Aviva could make higher offer for Direct Line amid flurry of takeovers in London Direct Line shares soar by more than 40% after initial 250p-a-share offer was rebuffed as ‘highly opportunistic’
Evening Standard · Nov 28, 2024 Direct Line shares surge after insurer rejects £3.3bn Aviva takeover tilt Direct Line said the approach ‘substantially undervalued’ the company.
Evening Standard · Nov 28, 2024 FTSE 100 Live 28 November: Direct Line shares surge on Aviva approach, Loungers backs £338m takeover Direct Line Insurance shares are back in the takeover spotlight after the Green Flag owner rejected a £3.3 billion approach by Aviva.