’We know that brokers want more face-to-face meetings and a greater underwriting presence,’ says managing director

Aviva is set to open two new trading offices in a bid to strengthen its regional presence for brokers and customers.

The branches will be based in Chelmsford and Southampton, meaning they will sit within Aviva’s London and South East region.

A local management team for these areas has also been formed, with them tasked to lead the Aviva business across all disciplines.

The team comprises Alison Coleman, branch manager for the South East, Peter Jukes, regional broker development manager, James Preston, client relationship manager, as well as Vanessa Millar and Kim Owen, who will both work as claims service managers.

Dave Martin, managing director of SME and distribution at Aviva, said: “Aviva has one of the widest geographical footprints in the UK. But we know that brokers want more face-to-face meetings and a greater underwriting presence.

”The opening of the Chelmsford and Southampton offices will deliver on this, making us more responsive and supporting our ambition to be the trusted insurance partner of choice.”

Trading structure

This came following the launch of Aviva’s regional trading structure, which brought together the core broker-facing disciplines of claims, distribution and underwriting.

At the time, the insurer said this would drive growth and bring “increased focus” on its visibility, responsiveness and delivery for brokers and their customers.

And it felt that expanding its regional footprint builds on these changes, with it allowing for more local decision making and increased face-to-face engagement.

”The opening of the Chelmsford and Southampton offices will deliver on this, making us more responsive and supporting our ambition to be the trusted insurance partner of choice,” Martin said.

”The office openings also build on our expanded presence in Newcastle, Birmingham and Manchester. Taken together, this is an exciting new chapter for the growth of our regional footprint and our ability to deliver better outcomes for our brokers and customers.”