Gross written premium (1999):

Gross written premium (1999):
£4,321m

Parent:
Royal & Sunalliance Insurance Group

Year company established:
Royal & Sunalliance's origins date back to 1710

UK head office:
Leadenhall Court
1 Leadenhall Street
London
EC3V 1PP
tel: 020 7283 9000

website:
www.royalsunalliance.co.uk

Company history:
Royal & Sunalliance Insurance Group's history is based on the foundations of three companies – the Sun (founded in 1710) which is now the oldest insurance company in the world that still transacts business in its own name, the Alliance (founded in 1824) and the Royal (founded in 1845). The group as we know it today has been formed through continuous amalgamations culminating in the merger of Royal Insurance and Sun Alliance in 1996. Royal & Sunalliance is one of the largest general insurers in the UK.

The general business in the UK comprises two operations:

  • Commercial, which is grouped into three customer-focused segments: small business, core and risk managed business. Major classes of business include property and packages, motor, marine, engineering and liability
  • Personal financial services, that distributes personal insurance products through three distribution channels, brokers, corporate partners and direct. Major product lines are household, motor, pet, creditor and extended warranty

    Chief officer:
    Paul Spencer, UK chief executive

    Biography:
    Paul Spencer is an executive director of Royal & Sunalliance Group and, as UK chief executive (appointed October 1998), is responsible for the group's UK operations. Spencer joined Royal Insurance in January 1996 as group finance director. When, in May 1996, Royal announced its merger with Sun Alliance he was appointed group finance and integration director of the merged company. He was formerly associate director at Hanson from September 1986 where he was responsible for the funding and risk exposures of the Hanson Group and co-ordination of its treasury activities. Prior to this he has also worked at Rolls Royce and British Leyland in their treasury departments and ICI in its investment department

    UK branch offices:
    86 (770 including Swinton and Royal & Sunalliance Property Services)

    UK staff:
    22,000 (including Swinton and Royal & Sunalliance Property Services)

    UK general insurance “club style” agents:
    none

    Direct arm:
    Royal & Sunalliance

    Main classes of business:
    domestic motor, commercial motor, domestic property, commercial property & packages, accident & health, legal expenses, pet, travel, engineering, marine and liability

    Key general insurance personnel:
    Steve Broughton, UK managing director, personal financial services
    Duncan Boyle, UK managing director, commercial