2, Aviva

GWP less treaty: £5.7bn
Norwich Union Insurance
Address:
Surrey Street
Norwich, Norfolk NR1 3NS
Telephone: 01603 622 200
Fax: 01603 683 659
Email: helpdesk@norwich-union.co.uk
Website:
Year established: 1797
Major shareholders: Wholly-owned by Aviva
Number of UK offices: 46
Number of UK employees (2002): 14,583
Main lines of business: Household, motor, commercial, travel, creditor, pet
Company history: Norwich Union was founded in Norwich over 200 years ago by Thomas Bignold, a 36-year-old wine merchant and banker. Bignold had been unable to find anyone willing to insure him against the threat from highwaymen. With entrepreneurial thought that nothing was impossible, and aware that in a city built largely of wood the threat of fire was uppermost in people's minds. Bignold formed the Norwich Union Society for the Insurance of Houses, Stock and Merchandise from Fire.
In its bicentenary, Norwich Union demutualised and floated as a public company on the London Stock Exchange, transforming itself into a FTSE 100 company. The £2.4bn raised in the share offer was the largest sum ever raised in a British private sector flotation.
In 2000, Norwich Union merged with CGU to create CGNU plc. The Norwich Union name was retained for the long-term savings and general insurance businesses in the UK.
Chief officer: Patrick Snowball
Biography: Appointed to the Aviva board in March 2001 as chief executive of Norwich Union Insurance. He was previously a director of Norwich Union, appointed in October 1999, having joined the company in 1989.