21. BRIT INSURANCE HOLDINGS
55 Bishopsgate, London, EC2N 3AS
Tel: 020 7984 8500
Fax: 020 7984 8501
Website: www.britinsurance.com
email: enquiries@britinsurance.com
Chief officer: Dane Jonathan Douetil CBE, group chief executive
Number of UK offices: 9
Number of UK employees: 721
Main lines of business:
Brit Global Markets: accident and health; aerospace; marine; financial & professional; property.
Brit Reinsurance: property treaty; treaty casualty; marine XL; aviation XL.
Brit UK: property and commercial combined; employers’/public liability, professional indemnity/D&O; motor.
Company history: Brit was launched as a new investment trust in November 1995.
In 1999 Brit made two acquisitions of trading insurance entities. This was effectively the beginning of the new Brit. The company delisted as an investment trust and relisted as an insurance holding group.
It had shareholders’ funds of £254m at 31 December 1999.
In 2003 Brit acquired PRI group, providing additional capital of £120m. In the following year the group’s underwriting operations were reorganised into three underwriting centres: London Market, Reinsurance and UK. The creation of the UK underwriting centre involved the opening of a network of eight regional offices over the next two years.
Over 2006/2007 the group continued to maximise its capital efficiency while reducing correlated risk including the participation in innovative insurance-linked security vehicles Norton Re, Freemantle and Rockhampton Insurance.
In 2007 to facilitate the group’s continued growth efficiently the three underwriting centres were restructured into strategic business units: Brit Global Markets, Brit Reinsurance and Brit UK each with their own chief executive.
For the year ended 31 December 2006, gross written premium totaled £1.236.29bn and profit before tax was £186.26m. Shareholder funds as at 31 July 2007 were £813.3m.
Chief officer Biography: Dane Douetil joined Brit Insurance (BIL), the FSA-regulated insurance company subsidiary of Brit Insurance Holdings, and was appointed chief executive of BIL in December 1998.
He joined the Brit Insurance Holdings board in November 1999 and was also chief executive of Brit’s Lloyd’s operations, Brit Syndicates, in July 2002. He was appointed as head of underwriting for Brit Insurance Holdings in August 2002.
Douetil was appointed the group’s deputy chief executive in March 2004 before becoming group chief executive of Brit Insurance Holdings in April 2005.
He was on the board of the Lloyd’s Market Association from 2004 to 2006 and is chairman of the Market Reform Group and chair’s the industry’s Contract Certainty Steering Group. Dane was appointed a CBE in 2007 for services to business
22. GROUPAMA
Groupama House, 24-26 Minories, London EC3N 1DE
Tel: 0870 850 8510
Fax: 020 7264 2862
Website: www.groupama.co.uk
www.groupamahealthcare.co.uk
email: customer.service@groupama.co.uk
Chief officer: François-Xavier Boisseau, chief executive
Major shareholders: Wholly-owned subsidiary of Groupama SA
Number of UK offices: 6
Number of UK employees: 800
Main lines of business:
Personal insurance: home and motor.
Commercial insurance: Commercial combined and, packages targeting SMEs plus motor fleet and tradesmens’ covers.
Healthcare: PMI for SMEs, accident, sickness and travel.
Company history: The UK group’s history dates back over 150 years. Groupama’s parent company can trace its origins to 1840 and has grown from its roots in the French agricultural community to become one of the world’s leading mutual property and casualty insurers and one of Europe’s largest financial services groups.
Chief Officer biography: François-Xavier Boisseau joined the AXA Group in 1990 from SNPE.
In 1993 he moved to the UK with AXA Insurance UK where he held various senior positions, including director of customer service.
In 1998 Boisseau moved to AXA Global Risks as deputy managing director, and he returned to AXA UK as director of underwriting and claims in 2000.
He joined Groupama Insurances as managing director in 2003 and was appointed chief executive in November 2007.
He has specific responsibilities for the operations and strategic direction of the UK group, together with ongoing liaison with Groupama in France.
23. GENWORTH FINANCIAL
Building 11, Chiswick Park, 566 Chiswick High Road, London W4 5XR
Tel: 020 8380 3000
email: Info@genworth.com
Website: www.genworth.com
President Europe and Canada: Bob Brannock
Main lines of business: Payment protection insurance and mortgage insurance
Company history:
Genworth Financial Inc. is a leading financial security company meeting the retirement, lifestyle protection, investment and mortgage insurance needs of more than15 million customers across 25 countries.
Outside the US, Genworth focuses on payment protection and mortgage insurance, working with banks, brokers, advisers and other financial institutions.
Genworth opened its first European office in the UK in 1972. Today it has over 700 employees in Europe with operations or business in Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.
The underwriting companies under Genworth Financial in the UK are Financial Insurance Company, Financial Assurance Company and Genworth Financial Mortgage Insurance.
24. HSBC HOLDINGS
Academy Place, Brook Street, Brentwood, Essex, CM14 5NQ
Tel: 08456 052 052
Fax: 01277 842400
Website: www.hsbc.com
Chief officer: Martyn Capewell, chief executive, HSBC Insurance
Major shareholders: HSBC
Number of UK offices: 4
Number of UK employees: 330
Main lines of business: Motor, household, school fees
Company history: HSBC Insurance (UK), formerly Corinthian Insurance Company, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of HSBC Insurance Holdings.
The business was initially operated as a Lloyd’s syndicate and was known as Corinthian Policies at Lloyd’s. It commenced trading in 1964 and offered only motor insurance.
The company is divided into several trading names, each offering a different class of motor insurance, as well as high net worth household and school fees protection.
Corinthian Policies at Lloyd’s was acquired by HSBC at the beginning of 1996 and initially became known as HSBC Insurance (Ireland), trading as Corinthian.
During 1998 a successful application to HM Treasury Insurance Directorate (now the FSA) established Corinthian Insurance Company, which subsequently changed its name to HSBC Insurance (UK) on 1 January 2005.
Chief officer biography: Martyn Capewell, deputy underwriter of the syndicate since 1987, was appointed chief executive of the new entity in 1996.
Capewell is a Fellow of the CII and has also been appointed to the board of the Motor Insurers’ Bureau and Motor Insurance Information Centre.
25. LV=(LIVERPOOL VICTORIA FRIENDLY SOCIETY)
Academy Place, Brook Street, Brentwood, Essex, CM14 5NQ
Tel: 08456 052 052
Fax: 01277 842400
Website: www.hsbc.com
Chief officer: Martyn Capewell, chief executive, HSBC Insurance
Major shareholders: HSBC
Number of UK offices: 4
Number of UK employees: 330
Main lines of business: Motor, household, school fees
Company history: HSBC Insurance (UK), formerly Corinthian Insurance Company, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of HSBC Insurance Holdings.
The business was initially operated as a Lloyd’s syndicate and was known as Corinthian Policies at Lloyd’s. It commenced trading in 1964 and offered only motor insurance.
The company is divided into several trading names, each offering a different class of motor insurance, as well as high net worth household and school fees protection.
Corinthian Policies at Lloyd’s was acquired by HSBC at the beginning of 1996 and initially became known as HSBC Insurance (Ireland), trading as Corinthian.
During 1998 a successful application to HM Treasury Insurance Directorate (now the FSA) established Corinthian Insurance Company, which subsequently changed its name to HSBC Insurance (UK) on 1 January 2005.
Chief officer biography: Martyn Capewell, deputy underwriter of the syndicate since 1987, was appointed chief executive of the new entity in 1996.
Capewell is a Fellow of the CII and has also been appointed to the board of the Motor Insurers’ Bureau and Motor Insurance Information Centre.
LV= (Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society
County Gates, Bournemouth BH1 2NF
Tel: 01202 292333 Fax: 01202 292253
Website: LV.com
Chief officer: Mike Rogers, group chief executive
Year established: 1843
Number of UK employees: 2,165
Main lines of business: Life and endowment business including personal pensions. Through subsidiary companies: fund management, general insurance, banking and financial advice, life protection products.
Subsidiaries: Liverpool Victoria Banking Services, Liverpool Victoria Life Company, Liverpool Victoria Insurance Company, Liverpool Victoria Asset Management, Liverpool Victoria Portfolio Managers
Company history: LV= is a trademark of Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society Limited (LVFS) and LV= is a trading style of the Liverpool Victoria group of companies. The new LV= brand identity was launched in March 2007. LV= serves more than 2.5 million customers and members, and manages around £8bn on their behalf.
In October 2006, LV= strengthened its
general insurance division through the acquisition of ABC Insurance, which brought an industry leading management team – ex-Churchill and RBS – to head up the general insurance business.
In January 2007 LV= announced the acquisition of Britannia Rescue, the UK’s service leading road rescue organisation, to broaden the product offer to LV= customers.
In May 2007, LV= announced it had secured an option agreement to acquire the retirement specialist Tomorrow (formerly GE Life). In June 2007 LV= launched its new general insurance broker division, under the ABC brand.
All general insurance business is administered on a direct basis to consumers by telephone and post from its UK contact centres in Bournemouth and Croydon, and online from its website: www.lv.com
LV= also underwrites car, home and travel insurance policies for intune, Help the Aged’s newly created subsidiary and financial services retail brand, and is responsible for all of intune’s sales, service and claims for car and home insurance.
Chief officer Biography: Mike Rogers joined Liverpool Victoria (re-branded in March 2007 to LV=) as group chief executive in May 2006.
He graduated from Cambridge in 1986 and joined Barclays where he undertook a variety of roles in the UK and overseas, across business banking, wealth management and retail banking.
Rogers was managing director of Small Business, Premier Banking and UK Retail Banking. As managing director of small business, he led the Barclays response to the Competition Commission enquiry into SME Banking Provision. Latterly he oversaw the latest branch re-branding and the final integration of the Woolwich.
26. LEGAL & GENERAL
Chief officer: Jane Dale, managing director, Legal & General Insurance
Year established: 1920 (for general insurance)
Number of UK offices: Four general insurance offices
Number of UK employees: Over 850 across Legal & General Insurance
Number of UK general insurance agents: Approx 8,300
Major shareholders: Legal & General Insurance is a wholly owned subsidiary of Legal & General Group
Main lines of business: Personal lines – buildings; contents insurance; mortgage payment protection insurance;
Company history: Legal & General Assurance Society was formed by six members of the legal profession in 1836 and started to offer general insurance after the First World War in 1920. Legal & General Group was established in 1979.
In 1995, Legal & General was the first insurance company to launch a website. Legal & General now sells its products through a range of distribution channels, including intermediaries, IFAs, direct, business partners and strategic alliances.
Chief officer biography: Jane Dale graduated from Bristol University in 1982 with a degree in economics and politics and joined Ernst & Young, where she qualified as a chartered accountant in 1985.
After a period of management consultancy Dale joined Legal & General in 1989 and held a variety of financial roles until 1997, when she was appointed director of the group protection business unit.
Dale was appointed managing director of Legal & General Insurance in July 2005.
Her objectives are to formulate and implement strategies that enable Legal & General’s general insurance business to achieve agreed sales and profit targets.
27. INTER HANNOVER
L’Avenir, Opladen Way, Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 0PE
Tel: 01344 397600
Fax: 01344 397601
London office address: 4th Floor, 60 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 4AD
Tel: 0207 480 7300
Fax: 020 7481 3845
email: ih.info@inter-hannover.com
Website: www.inter-hannover.com
Chief officer: Michael Wennin, chief
executive
Year established: 1979
Number of UK offices: 2
Number of UK employees: 45
Major shareholders: HDI Haftpflicht is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hannover Ruckversicherung and a subsidiary undertaking of HDI Haftpflichtverband der Deutschen Industrie V.a.G. – both of which are incorporated in Germany.
Main lines of business: All classes of
general insurance
Company history: Inter Hannover is wholly owned by Hannover Re, one of the world’s leading reinsurance groups. Registered in the UK, it is run by a small, streamlined team of insurance experts.
It specialises in writing primary insurance business via agents or similar organisations in Europe.
Chief officer biography: Michael Wennin is a graduate of the University of Konstanz and Kingston Polytechnic in
economics and European Studies.
He joined Hannover Re Group in 1992 and has held various appointments in facultative underwriting, including a spell in Mexico where he was responsible for Latin American and Caribbean property and engineering business. He was appointed managing director of Inter Hannover in March 2005.
28. SIMPLYHEALTH GROUP
Hambleden House, Andover, Hants SP10 1LQ
Tel: 0845 075 2020
Fax: 01264 333650
Website: www.simplyhealth.co.uk
Chief executive: Des Benjamin
Year established: 1922
Number of UK Offices: 9
Number of UK employees: 1,292
Main lines of business: Health plans; dental plans; private medical insurance; occupational health; health screening; mobility and daily living aids
Company history: BCWA, HealthSure, HSA and LHF form Simplyhealth Access, the financial services division of the group – Simplyhealth Wellbeing incorporates the non-financial divisions within the group, these being Adastral Health, Your Health Screening and Totally Active.
The organisation dates back to 1922, when HSA was founded to promote the health of the general population in the UK. Today, HSA provides a range of Healthplans for individuals and companies across the UK.
Chief OFFICER biography: Des Benjamin has been group chief executive since March 2000. Having spent most of his career in financial services, including accountancy, fund management, life insurance and direct banking, he joined HSA from the UK’s largest creditor insurer, Consolidated Financial Insurance (now GE Financial Insurance) where he was general manager.
29. ST PAUL TRAVELERS
St Paul Travelers
61-63 London Road, Redhill, Surrey RH1 1NA
Tel: 01737 787 787 Fax: 01737 787 172
Website: www.stpaultravelers.co.uk email: pjelliot@stpaultravelers.co.uk
Chief officer: Martin Hudson, chief executive
Year established: 1853
Number of UK offices: 7
Number of UK employees: 400
Number of UK general insurance agents: 300
Major shareholders: A wholly-owned subsidiary of The Travelers Companies, Inc
Main lines of business: Property; employers’ liability; public liability; products liability; business interruption; professional indemnity; directors’ and officers’; and marine
Subsidiaries: St Paul Travelers Professional Risks
Company history: St Paul Travelers Insurance Co is part of the Travelers group, a leading property and liability insurance organisation which has annual revenues of $25bn, assets worth around $114bn and consistently high independent credit ratings for its financial strength and ability to pay claims.
In the UK, St Paul Travelers provides a range of property and liability insurance products aimed at the electronics and other technology related industries; the motor trade; the transportation industry; local authorities; private
hospitals, clinics and medical services companies; universities and colleges; manufacturing companies; property investors; and various professions including solicitors,
architects, advertising agencies and chartered surveyors.
Chief officer biography: Martin Hudson started work at a Lloyd’s syndicate in 1977 and joined the St.Katherine Insurance Company in 1980 (acquired by St Paul Companies Inc in 1988.) Between 1977 and 1990 his main area of activity was liability insurance and reinsurance in North America.
In 1990, St Paul entered the specialised UK business-to-business insurance market and Hudson was one of the early founders of the new greenfield operation.
He conducted the new product research, development and launch programme until 1995 when he became the leader of this growing organisation, which has progressed from its start-up to over £230m of gross premiums today.
In 2002, Hudson was also appointed chief executive of the company’s Lloyd’s operation whose capacity for 2007 is £260m.
In 2004, The St Paul Companies merged with Travelers Property Casualty to form the St Paul Travelers group which in 2006 adopted the Travelers trading name in the US.
In 2008, St Paul Travelers UK will also adopt the Travelers trading name and red umbrella logo.
30. ONEX CORPORATION (LONDON GENERAL INSURERS)
Onex Corporation (London General Insurance)
Eaton House, 152-158 Northolt Road, Harrow HA2 0EA
Tel: 020 8864 5400
Website: www.thewarrantygroup.com
Chief officer: Roger Powell, chief executive
Year established: 1984
Number of UK offices: 2
Number of UK employees: 0 (All UK staff are employed by a fellow group undertaking – TWG Services)
Major shareholders: London General Insurance Company is a fully owned subsidiary of TWG Holdings Inc. (USA).
Main lines of business: Appliance extended warranty (domestic brown and white goods); technology insurance (PCs and cellular telephones); motor vehicle extended warranty; return to invoice and vehicle replacement insurance (new and used cars) & creditor protection insurance (accident, sickness, redundancy, financial shortfall, and critical illness, permanent total disability).
Company history: London General Insurance (LGI) is the European general insurance underwriting company for The Warranty Group which specialises in underwriting, administration and marketing of warranty and service contracts for manufacturers, retailers and distributors of consumer electronics, appliances, homes, autos as well as credit card enhancements and travel and leisure programs through a global organisation providing innovative business solutions.
LGI is licensed to write business in 21 European countries (with fronting arrangements elsewhere in Europe).
Chief officer biography: Powell joined Pat Ryan and Associates in 1981, which later became Aon Corporation, the world’s second largest insurance broker.
He became chief executive of the company’s European operation in 1995 and is responsible for the business across 21 European Countries.
On the 30 November 2006, Aon Corporation sold its worldwide warranty operations (which included LGI) to Onex Partners, an affiliate of Onex Corporation, a company based in Toronto.
