In March 2000 the company announced a forthcoming merger with the UK-based CGU insurance group.

Worldwide GWP for 1998 (£000s):
£1,974,000 (1997: £1,268,906)

Chief Officer:
Richard J Harvey

Biography:
Richard Harvey joined the Phoenix Insurance group in 1973 where he qualified as an actuary in 1975.
With the Phoenix and subsequently Sun Alliance Group, he worked in a variety of UK life and pensions business appointments including three years as an actuary to the New Zealand subsidiary company Provident Life.
In 1986 he returned to New Zealand as chief executive of the Sun Alliance life subsidiary and joined Norwich Union Group on August 1 1994. In addition, he was appointed a director of the Norwich Union Group on January 1 1995.
He was appointed deputy group chief executive in January 1997 and became chief executive of Norwich Union plc on January 1 1998.

Year company established:
1797 (became Norwich Union in 1997)

Address, telephone and fax number of European head office:
8 Surrey Street
Norwich
NR1 3NG
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 1603 622 200
Fax: +44 1603 683 659
http://www.norwich-union.co.uk


Key General insurance personnel:
Albert Millis (group director - general insurances - retiring September 2000)
Patrick Snowball (managing director)
Simon Machell (national claims manager)
Ken Wallace (business development manager)
Ken Applegate (national customer services director)
Derek Plummer (marketing director)

Brief company history:
Norwich Union was founded by Thomas Bignold, a city wine merchant. Intending to move from Kent to Norwich, Bignold was unable to find anyone to insurance against the threat from highwaymen

Realising there was great need for this kind of insurance, he formed the Norwich General Insurance Company in 1792 and went on to found the Norwich Union Fire Insurance Society in 1797. The Norwich Union Life Insurance Company was formed in 1808 and acquired the General insurance business in 1925. Today Norwich Union is one of the largest groups of companies in the UK and has substantial operations in several other countries.

Worldwide net written premium for 1998 (£000s):
£1,851,000

Worldwide net written premiums for 1997 (£000s):
£1,111,764