18. Hastings Insurance Services

Fee and commission income (2002): £38.3m

Pre-tax profit (2002): £2.7m

Address:
Conquest House
Collington Avenue
Bexhill-on-Sea
East Sussex
TN39 3LW

Tel: 01424 735735

Fax: 01424 735730

Email: customerservice@ hastingsdirect.com

Website: www.hastingsdirect.com

Year established: 1996

History: The principal activity of Hastings Insurance Services is underwriting and broking of personal lines general insurance.

The company trades as Hastings Direct and has a direct distribution call centre offering customers motor insurance and related products from its existing panel of 20 insurers. In six years, Hastings Insurance Services has grown to the present level of almost 500,000 policyholders.

Major shareholders: Logan Consultants Ltd

Main lines of business: Underwriting and broking private car, motorcycle and household insurance

Number of UK branches: 1

Number of UK employees (average for 2002): 750

Chief officer: David Gundlach, chairman and managing director

Biography: David Gundlach was appointed to his present position of chairman and managing director of Hastings Insurance Services in late 2002. Since beginning his career with IBM, he now has more than 15 years' experience in the motor insurance industry along with in-depth knowledge about information systems.

Before heading the team responsible for the Hastings Insurance Services start-up, Gundlach held the position of IT director at Admiral Insurance. He played a central role in the acquisition of Hastings Insurance Services from Aioi in 2002.