Esure founder Peter Wood has met investment bankers to prepare for a listing next year, according to reports yesterday.

Wood, who owns a 55% stake in Esure with the rest taken by private equity house Tosca Penta Investment, is keen to float Esure for around £2bn in the second half of 2012.

Wood said last month that he wanted to grow his 50% share in aggregator Gocompare and then roll it into the float as a mega insurance package.

Esure declined to comment.