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Over 13,000 Admiral staff to receive free share awards worth up to £1,800

Over 13,000 Admiral staff to receive free share awards worth up to £1,800

Daily Mail​16 hours ago
More than 13,000 staff at Admiral will each receive free share awards worth up to £1,800 under the firm's employee share schemes amid bumper half-year results.
For the firm's broader base of shareholders, the company announced it would pay an interim dividend of 115 per share, up 62 per cent from last year.
Admiral shares jumped 5 per cent to 3,534p on Thursday, having risen by over a quarter in the past 12 months.
The insurance group raked in a pre-tax profit of £559million from its motor insurance arm in the six months to the end of June, against £359million at the same point a year ago.
The FTSE 100 firm flagged 'higher insurance revenue and a notably improved insurance service margin' across its motor protection arm.
It said car insurance prices had been falling for the past 18 months in response to softer inflation.
Admiral recorded a near 5 per cent rise in the number of vehicles it insured across Britain in the period.
Claims inflation across the motoring insurance arm is hovering at around five per cent, indicating prices may be close to finding a bottom.
Across the business, Admiral reported a 69 per cent rise in pre-tax profit from continuing operations to £521million, while earnings per share surged 72 per cent to 132.5p.
Total group turnover remained flat compared to the previous year, while insurance revenue increased by 18 per cent.
In its home insurance arm, profits rose more than 100 per cent from £11.3million to £25.2million. The firm's pet and travel insurance arm saw its losses narrow.
The business maintained its annual forecasts.
Chief executive Milena Mondini de Focatiis, said: 'We have delivered another excellent first half with strong execution across all strategic objectives.'
She added: 'I'm confident in our fundamentals and adaptability which mean that we are well-placed for further success, delivering even more value for our shareholders and our growing customer base.'
The group flagged the Financial Conduct Authority's multi-business probe into UK motor insurance total loss claims valuations.
Admiral said: 'The expected incremental claims cost of this action to Admiral (excluding statutory interest) is approximately £50million (around half of which has been accounted for in H1 2025, the remainder in the previous financial year).'
It added: 'Admiral expects to begin contacting impacted customers during H2 2025, and whilst noting uncertainty remains, does not expect the final cost of the action to vary materially from that noted above.'
Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said: 'FTSE 100 insurer Admiral is humming along quite nicely, supported by a strong showing in its motor insurance business.
'In a competitive market, Admiral remains in the fast lane. The strength of its brand allows it to remain disciplined on price while still attracting new business. Admiral's smart pricing tools have also helped to support underwriting profitability over time.'
He added: 'The company is being rewarded for treating customers relatively well, at least in relation to its rivals, including during the pandemic. This is driving customer loyalty.
'Admiral recently swerved a potential hazard as the FCA decided to take no regulatory action on premium finance – effectively the cost borne by consumers if they opt to pay their insurance premiums in monthly instalments rather than in one lump sum.'
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