Over the last two decades, the international delivery industry has undergone something of a paradigm shift. The advance of short-form electronic communication, such as texts, e-mails and even video calls, has led to a steep decline in the number of letters handled by national postal services around the globe. Last month, the Universal Postal Union - the United Nations' agency which co-ordinates the worldwide

The start of the New Year is when we traditionally set our personal and professional targets for the 12 months to come. Many readers will no doubt agree, however, that sticking to resolutions becomes progressively more difficult as the weeks and months elapse. Establishing a strategy is a key ingredient but not the entire recipe for success in itself. What is important is how a

Technology has presented us with immense benefits for our home and work lives. The most important arguably include convenience and connectivity. Tasks which once might have been costly in terms of time or expense, such as interacting with friends and family, attending meetings, shopping or watching movies, can now be completed in seconds from the comfort of our armchairs. However, being so connected to individuals

There's little doubt that we're in the middle of what is an extremely challenging time for many households across the UK. A combination of circumstances has hit many families squarely in the pocket. Last month, the Bank of England announced that it expected the UK to enter the longest recession in history and one which might result in half a million people losing their jobs.

Although we're nearing the time of year when we crane our necks to catch sight of a certain sleigh and reindeer above snowy rooftops, we know that it's not just Santa who likes to give gifts at Christmas. In spite of economic conditions which may mean that festive spending is rather more restrained than usual, there is plenty of evidence that people are still likely

As I write, there's now less than a week until Christmas Day. For many people, it's a time to switch off and enjoy the festivities with family and friends. However, there are other individuals apart from Santa for whom the holiday period doesn't necessarily mean a chance to put their feet up. The emergency services work hard all year 'round, of course. Even so, the

As the World Cup currently taking place in Qatar heads into the final stages, we have a little more clarity about which team will emerge as the overall winners. Some would say that's particularly welcome, given that this tournament has arguably been the strangest in the history of the competition. Before the matches began in earnest, it seemed that the event would be dominated by

20 Questions with Andrew Thorn We sat down to talk to Senior Underwriter Andrew Thorn from Brit, London.    How do you like to start the day?  Exercising if possible, it’s great for the mind. This has reduced following baby number 2…..   What’s the best part of your job?  Delivering results, working closely with brokers, and developing and maintaining relationships. Working in a friendly,

Bob Eccles, Executive Loss Adjuster (Private Clients) at McLarens in Manchester tells us all about his role. "I have over 30 years of experience in the insurance industry, having worked for GAB Robins, Crawfords, and Criterion, before recently re-joining McLarens on 12th July 2021. My first working day at McLarens on Monday 12th July coincided with the London floods, and my first day on appointments

Let's face it, the world of insurance can seem complicated to many people who don't work in it. At its best and most effective, it's a three-way process - a clear dialogue between those wanting cover, their brokers and the underwriters employed by insurers. Nevertheless, some individuals and small businesses prefer to deal directly with insurers. Given that they may not be absolutely familiar with