Fee and commission income (2003): £346m.
Pre-tax profit (2003): £4.8m
Address: Library House, New Road,
Brentwood, Essex CM14 4GD
Tel: 01277 200111
Fax: 01277 206283
Email: info@cox.co.uk
Website: www.cox.co.uk
Year established: 1931
History: Cox's broking division combines 'telebroker' Boncaster and an expanding branch network operating under the insure-shop and Bennetts brands. Specialising in the provision of private car, motorcycle, home, travel and small commercial insurance products, the business has achieved significant growth over the last three years, both organically and through acquisition. It provides customers with the flexibility to purchase insurance by whatever channel they choose, either by phone, internet, mail or face to face.
Boncaster was named joint winner of the Insurance Times Large Broker Of The Year Award for 2003. 2003 also saw significant growth in the broking division's branch network. The acquisition of Bennetts in November 2003, together with a number of smaller branch acquisitions, more than doubled the number of branches to 42, extending the geographical presence into the Midlands and the South of England.
Major shareholders: 100% Cox Insurance Holdings Plc.
Main lines of business: Private car, motorcycle, home, travel and small commercial insurance products.
Number of UK employees (2003): 650
Chief officer: Mike Hutton, managing director, broking division
Biography: Mike Hutton was appointed managing director of Cox's broking division in April 2004. Hutton joined Cox from Colonnade Insurance Brokers as insurer development director in August 2001. He has responsibility for the call centre and branch broking businesses, and for managing the broking division's relationships with insurer partners.
While Hutton was managing director of Colonnade, it won the Personal Lines Broker Of The Year title at the British Insurance Awards for three years running in 1999, 2000, and 2001. Prior to Colonnade, Hutton worked for its parent company, Provident Financial, having joined them from Coopers & Lybrand, where he had qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1984.
