7. Halifax General Insurance Services

7. Halifax General Insurance Services
Fee and comm income (2000): £223m

Pre-tax profit (2000): £160.3m

Address: Trinity Road
Halifax
West Yorkshire
HX1 2RG.
Tel: 01422 333 333

Website: www.halifax.co.uk

History: Halifax General Insurance Services (HGISL) is one of the largest insurance arrangers in the UK, with around 2 million policies in force.

Halifax General Insurance has undergone significant changes in the past few years and, from being predominately an insurance intermediary, now controls all stages of the supply chain, from product development, through to policy administration and claims handling.

Although the majority of policies are mortgage-related household and loan repayment products, Halifax General Insurance has successfully diversified into new product areas such as travel and pet insurance, to provide a wider proposition to its customers.

Committed to growing its non-mortgage customer base, Halifax Home Insurance was launched on

1 September 1999, offering standalone home insurance to non-mortgage customers via its call centre in Leeds, as well as over the internet. The next strand of this strategy sees a standalone offering, specifically tailored for customers who prefer to transact in person, being launched via the Halifax branch network in July of this year, and via Bank of Scotland outlets in the autumn.

Following the merger last year of Halifax and Bank of Scotland, the company has had to work hard to rationalise its back-book of customers, to provide greater consistency in its product offerings.

Chief officer: Howard Posner, managing director, general insurance.

Biography: Posner joined the Halifax in January 1995 as assistant general manager and was appointed to his present position in July 1997. As well as being managing director of Halifax General Insurance Services (HGISL), Howard is also a director of Halifax Mortgage Reinsurance Limited, Guernsey; Halifax Guarantee Insurance, Guernsey; Esure Holdings; Esure; Halifax Insurance Ireland Limited (HIIL); and RAC Insurance Company.

Howard Posner is currently a member of the Council of Mortgage Lenders Insurance Committee. He lectures frequently on insurance-related topics both in the UK and overseas. He is also a member of the Institute of Directors.

Before joining the Halifax, Posner was general manager and a director of NRG Victory Management Services, the UK holding company of the Amsterdam-based Netherlands Reinsurance Group. Posner joined NRG Group in 1982 as assistant underwriter and was appointed a general manager in 1991, and a director in 1992. During this period he was responsible for underwriting, marketing, pricing and profitability of an international insurance and reinsurance portfolio.

Main lines of business: Personal lines insurance - home insurance, motor insurance, creditor insurance, travel insurance, private medical insurance, personal accident insurance and pet insurance.

Commercial lines insurance - providing a range of business insurance solutions to its business banking customers, under the Bank of Scotland brand.

Special schemes: Provider of home insurance to Sainsbury's Bank customers, via the Sainsbury's retail network, and to Intelligent Finance customers.

Number of UK branches: 1,150+

Number of employees (average for 2001): 1,200+

Technology: Continued rollout of products to customers via the internet. HGISL now provides a fully functional online `quote and buy' facility for home and travel insurances.