AXA Insurance Northern Ireland is exiting the commercial non-motor and home lines of business with effect from 1 January 2003.
In a letter addressed to brokers dated 26 September, operations manager Northern Ireland, T V Scott said: "Our experience in these classes continues to be unsatisfactory and recent events, which impacted on reinsurance markets, have forced us to review our future approach.
"As a result we are no longer in a position to quote for any new risks and with effect from 1 January 2003 we will not be in a position to offer terms at renewal."
AXA is the largest motor insurer in the province, and according to a spokesman, "this will be our main focus for the future".
In a separate move, the company also announced it is closing its AXA Colonia office in Dublin.
The spokesman said the office dealt with a number of "small commercial lines" and the closure was part of an "on-going strategy" to streamline its operations.
A broker who contacted the liability claims department in Bolton in relation to a court summons was told that the "department was not taking calls for two weeks".
He was also told that if the matter was serious he should "write in".
A spokeswoman for AXA said that reorganisation of the third party motor and liability claims department meant that "not all lines were open as usual" and "callers would be put through to voicemail".
But if the matter was urgent the person could "speak to an operator".
