Cox kicked off 2004 with a flurry of acquisitions as it snapped up three brokers hard on the heels of buying two books of business.

It bought books of rural and commercial motor

business from B ...

Cox kicked off 2004 with a flurry of acquisitions as it snapped up three brokers hard on the heels of buying two books of business.

It bought books of rural and commercial motor

business from Bennetts UK and Marsh's private client operation at the end of 2003.

It began 2004 by announcing the acquisitions of Eastwood Insurance Services, Southdale Insurance and BR Insurance, adding that it aimed to further grow its high street broking network this year.

Eastwood, based in Bishop's Stortford, has more than 4,000 personal and commercial lines customers.

Southdale's 1,800 personal lines customers will be transferred, along with all its staff, to the Doncaster branch of Cox subsidiary insure-shop.

BR Insurance is a high street broker with offices in Alfreton and Sutton-in-Ashfield and has both personal and commercial lines business.

The acquisitions add to Cox's broking division, which is made up of Boncaster and a network of 44 branches including Bennetts UK and insure-shop.

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