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Insurers anticipated a pandemic but could have responded better,says exec

David Williams, managing director of underwriting and technical services at AXA Insurance UK PLC.said the industry’s response to previous virus outbreaks, such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, and the H5N1 avian flu strain, was “why we’ve ended up in a situation where 98% of business interruption policies in the U.K. don’t include the impacts of COVID-19.”

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FWD completes MetLife Hong Kong acquisition

FWD will be renaming and rebranding the newly acquired businesses in the next few months.  At the same time, MetLife Hong Kong will continue to operate through all its existing channels across its businesses.  All existing MetLife Hong Kong policies will continue to be honoured by FWD following the change in ownership.

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Wimbledon and other events left more exposed to COVID-19 risk as insurers withdraw pandemic cover: GlobalData

That an event as high-profile as Wimbledon can’t renew its policy suggests it is unlikely that any major event in the UK will be able to have pandemic cover for business interruption in the immediate future, and going ahead with events before a vaccine is rolled out is extremely risky.

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Huge acceleration of clean energy innovation needed to meet net zero target: IEA

“Without decarbonising the transport sector there is no chance whatsoever of meeting climate targets,” IEA executive director Fatih Birol told Reuters.
The four most critical clean technologies needing innovation are battery technologies, carbon capture and storage, bioenergy and low-carbon hydrogen, which are currently mostly in the development phase and/or costly.

Global CO2 emissions are expected to be 8% lower this year than in 2019 – their lowest level since 2010 – as energy demand has slumped due to the coronavirus pandemic, but they are likely to rebound as economies recover unless action is taken.

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