8 : BUPA

Gross written premium (1999):
£916.2m

Parent:
Bupa

Year company established:
1947

UK head office:
Bupa House
15-19 Bloomsbury Way
London
WC1A 2BA
tel: 020 7656 2000
fax: 020 7656 2705

website:
www.bupa.co.uk

Company history:
The British United Provident Association (Bupa), created in 1947, is today the largest independent healthcare organisation in the UK. Bupa's services include UK and international private medical insurance for both the individual and corporate markets, longer term care, permanent health insurance, critical illness cover, dental cover and travel insurance.

It is also one of the largest providers of independent hospital beds in the UK with a leading network of health screening centres, more than 233 nursing homes, an occupational health business and a childcare business that includes a service for corporates as well as a chain of nurseries.

Bupa is a provident association. It has no shareholders. Income and investments and any surplus funds are reinvested.

Chief officer:
Val Gooding

Biography:
Val Gooding joined Bupa in September 1996 as managing director UK. She was appointed chief executive designate in May 1997 and assumed full responsibility as chief executive on August 1, 1998. Gooding joined Bupa from British Airways where she was a director for Asia Pacific. Since her arrival at Bupa, she has been responsible for improving the company's systems and its customer focus.

Overseas businesses in Spain, Thailand, Hong Kong and Ireland have been developed as well as joint ventures in Saudi Arabia and India

UK branch offices:
customer service centres based in Staines and Manchester

UK staff:
40,000

Direct sales force:
280

Main classes of business:
private medical insurance, critical illness, long-term care, permanent health insurance, dental cover
and travel

Key general insurance personnel:
Sir Bryan Nicholson, chairman
Fergus Kee, managing director, UK membership