These are the insurers that made it to the summit of our list. For the full ranking, download the pdf
#1
Lloyd’s
One Lime Street
London EC3M 7HA
Tel | 020 7327 1000
Web | www.lloyds.com
UK offices: 2
UK employees: 675
Chief officer: Richard Ward, chief executive
Main lines of business
Aviation, casualty, energy, marine, motor, property and reinsurance.
Company history
With its roots in marine insurance, Lloyd’s has grown over the past 320 years to become the world’s leading market for specialist insurance. Renowned internationally for devising tailored solutions to complex problems, Lloyd’s underwriters provide cover for a broad range of specialist risks. Today 51 managing agents run 80 syndicates. Lloyd’s conducts business in more than 200 countries, covering 90% of FTSE 100 companies and 93% of Dow Jones companies. It has recently established operations in China and Brazil.
Chief officer biography
Richard Ward joined Lloyd’s as chief executive in April 2006. Before that he was chief executive and vice-chairman at the London-based International Petroleum Exchange, since re-branded ICE Futures. He has also held a range of senior positions at BP and was head of marketing and business development for energy derivatives worldwide at Tradition Financial Services. Between 1982 and 1988, he worked as a senior physicist with the Science and Engineering Research Council.
#2
Aviva
Norwich Union Insurance
8 Surrey Street
Norwich NR1 3NG
Tel | 01603 622200
Web | www.norwichunion.com
Chief officer: Igal Mayer, chief executive
UK offices: 76
UK employees: 18,043
Main lines of business Household, motor, commercial, travel, creditor and roadside assistance.
Major shareholders
Norwich Union is wholly owned by Aviva. On 28 February 2007, Barclays directly held 5% of the total voting rights attaching to the issued ordinary share capital of Aviva; Legal & General held directly 4%; and Axa SA and its group companies held 10%, of which 1% was held directly and 9% indirectly.
Company history
Norwich Union was founded in Norwich more than 200 years ago by Thomas Bignold, a 36-year-old wine merchant and banker. Unable to find anyone willing to insure him against the threat from highwaymen and aware that in a city built largely of wood, the threat of fire was a wide concern, Bignold formed the Norwich Union Society for the Insurance of Houses, Stock and Merchandise from Fire. It demutualised and floated as a public company during its bicentenary year, transforming itself into a FTSE 100 company. In 2000, it merged with CGU to create CGNU. The Norwich Union name was retained for the long-term savings and general insurance businesses in the UK. Aviva, Norwich Union’s parent company, announced its acquisition of the RAC in 2005.
Chief officer biography
Igal Mayer became chief executive in July last year, having been president and chief executive of Aviva Canada since May 2001.
#3
RBS
Churchill Court
Wstmoreland Road
BroKent BR1 1DP
Tel | 020 8313 3030
Web | www.rbs.com
UK offices: 55
UK employees: 18,000
Chief officer: Chris Sullivan, chief executive
Main lines of business
Personal and commercial lines.
Major shareholders
Wholly owned by Royal Bank of Scotland.
Company history
RBS Insurance was formed on 1 September 2003 after the newly acquired Churchill Insurance was brought together with the former Direct Line business, by the Royal Bank of Scotland. RBS brands include Churchill, Direct Line, Privilege, Green Flag, UKI Partnerships and NIG. These underwrite and sell by phone and online, as well as through partnerships and a network of brokers.
Chief officer biography
Chris Sullivan became chief executive in November 2006. RBS’ total income then was £5.6bn – a 3% increase on the previous year. Before his appointment, he was chief executive of retail, and deputy chief executive of retail markets within the RBS group.
#4
RSA
1 Leadenhall Court
Leadenhall Street
London EC3V 1PP
Tel | 0845 077 2772
Web | www.rsagroup.com
UK offices: 20
UK employees: 22,000
Chief officer: Adrian Brown, chief executive
Main lines of business
RSA is one of the UK’s top three personal motor and household insurers. The insurance and risk management needs of a number of FTSE100 companies.
Major shareholders
Wholly owned by Royal Insurance Holdings whose parent is RSA Insurance Group.
Company history
With an almost 300-year heritage, RSA can write business in more than130 countries with major operations in the UK, Asia Canada, Ireland, the Middle East, Latin America and Scandinavia. In 2007, its net written premium was £5.8bn. The company writes business through brokers and corporate partners, direct and online. In December 2006 RSA became the first insurer in the UK to be carbon neutral.
Chief officer biography
Adrian Brown joined RSA in 1989. In 2006, he became the UK’s chief operating officer with responsibility for claims, sales and service, IT and change across personal and commercial lines. He became chief executive in September.
#5
AXA
One Aldgate
London EC3N 1RE
Tel | 020 7702 3109
Web | www.axa.co.uk
UK offices: 16
UK employees: 3,135
Chief officer: Philippe Maso y Guell Rivet, chief executive
Main lines of business
The company has four strategic business units: commercial lines intermediary, personal lines intermediary, AXA Solutions and corporate partners.
Commercial lines
Casualty, property, motor and risk management advice and services.
Personal lines
Buy-to-let, caravan, creditor, home, motor, motorbike, personal accident, pet, travel, warranty wedding, yacht and pleasure craft.
Major shareholders AXA SA.
Company history
AXA Insurance was launched in January 1998 as AXA Provincial Insurance following the merger of the UAP and AXA Group in 1997. It changed its name to AXA Insurance in October 1998. When the AXA UK Group acquired the Guardian Royal Exchange Group in May 1999, Guardian’s UK insurance operations were merged into AXA Insurance. The company offers insurance products through brokers and directly through axa.co.uk or through AXA-owned Swiftcover. AXA Insurance also underwrites products for Lloyds TSB, Capital One, Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer and Thomas Cook.
Chief officer biography
Philippe Maso y Guell Rivet was appointed chief executive in April. His AXA career began in 1995 in Paris where he worked in the finance department, eventually becoming head of group corporate finance and financial risk management. He joined AXA UK as group finance director in 2003.
#6
AIG
The AIG Building
58 Fenchurch Street
London EC3M 4AB
Tel | 020 7954 7000
Web | www.aiguk.co.uk
UK offices: 11
UK employees: 1,700
Chief officer: Alexander Baugh, managing director
Main lines of business
Accident and health, aviation, casualty, energy, financial, property, trade and political risk.
Major shareholder
AIG.
Company history
AIG member companies have been in the UK for more than 50 years. AIG UK includes more than half the top 1,000 UK companies among its clients, as well as thousands of small to medium-sized businesses and public sector organisations.
Chief officer biography
Alexander Baugh has held a string of positions with AIU in New York, London and Paris. He was recently president of AIG Europe, SA, and president of AIU’s continental European region. He has also held various positions in AIG’s domestic brokerage group.
#7
Zurich
The Zurich Centre
300B Parkway
Solent Business Park
Whiteley, Hants PO15 7JZ
Tel | 08000 966 233
or 01793 511227
Web | www.zurich.co.uk
UK offices: 18
UK employees: 7,852
Chief officer: Guy Munnoch, chief executive, UK general insurance
Main lines of business
Personal insurance, commercial lines, public sector, corporate businesses.
Major shareholders
Private shareholders:19%
Foundations and pensions funds: 7 %. Other legal entitities: 74 % (shares registered in the share ledger as of 31 December 2007).
Company history
Zurich Financial Services Group has a global network of subsidiaries and offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and other markets. Founded in 1872, the group’s headquarters are in Zurich, Switzerland. It employs about 60,000 people serving customers in more than 170 countries.
Chief officer biography
Guy Munnoch joined Zurich in August 1997. He has filled a number of appointments including claims director and then managing director of Zurich Municipal and, more recently, managing director of Zurich Commercial and Municipal. Before joining Zurich, he held senior positions with Norwich Union and Allianz.
#8
ACE
ACE Building
100 Leadenhall Street
London EC3A 3BP
Tel | 020 7173 7000
Web | www.aceeuropeangroup.com
UK offices: 11
UK employees: 1,125
Chief officer: Andrew Kendrick, chairman and chief executive
Main lines of business
Accident and health, aviation, captives, casualty, environmental risk, energy, financial, political risk, marine property, technical.
Company history
ACE European Group is part of the global ACE group formed in 1985. ACE European has branch offices in 19 countries and affiliates in Egypt, Bahrain, Pakistan, Russia and South Africa.
Chief officer biography
Andrew Kendrick joined ACE in 1996. He was previously director of underwriting and active underwriter of Syndicate 2488 at Lloyd’s, which forms ACE Global Markets.
#9
Bupa
Bupa House
15-19 Bloomsbury Way
London WC1A 2BA
Tel | 020 7656 2000
Web | www.bupa.com
UK offices: More than 400
UK employees: More than 32,000
Chief officer: Ray King, chief executive
Main lines of business
Health insurance, care homes for older people and young disabled, health assessments, workplace health and childcare services.
Major shareholders
It is a company limited by guarantee and does not have shareholders. It reinvests its surplus back into the business for the benefit of customers.
Company history
Bupa was established in 1947 as the British United Provident Association and aims “to prevent, relieve and cure sickness and ill health of every kind”.
Chief officer biography
King became group chief executive in May. Born and educated in Northern Ireland, he studied applied chemistry at Queen’s University Belfast before training as a chartered accountant. In 1974 he joined ICI and in 1992 went to Southern Water as group finance director. Following its acquisition by Scottish Power in 1996, he became group financial controller of Guinness and then of Diageo following its merger with Grand Metropolitan.
#10
Allianz
57 Ladymead
Guildford
Surrey GU1 1DB
Tel | 01483 568 161
Web | www.allianz.co.uk
UK offices: 22
UK employees: 4,000
Chief officer: Andrew Torrance, chief executive
Main lines of business
The company is divided into two trading divisions: commercial (including engineering insurance and inspection business) and retail (including personal, animal health, speciality and legal protection business).
Major shareholder
Allianz SE.
Company history
Cornhill Insurance was founded in 1905 by the directors of Willis Faber. In 1986 the company was acquired by Allianz AG (now Allianz SE). In 1994, Cornhill Insurance launched Cornhill Direct. The company launched its underwriting academy in 2000, which was followed in 2004 by the introduction of the Excellence in Claims training programme. In 2003, Allianz opened its offshore facility in Trivandrum, India, which now employs about 600 people. In 2006, the company acquired the SME direct insurance intermediary, Premierline Direct and the mid- to-high net worth specialist, Home & Legacy. It changed its name to Allianz Insurance in 2007.
Chief officer biography
Andrew Torrance spent the first 16 years of his career with Boston Consulting Group. From 1984 to 1992 he was a partner in its London office. He then moved on to London & Edinburgh Insurance, where he spent six years, the last three as chief executive. He joined the company in April 1999 as a general manager in the broker division, taking over as chief executive in July 2003. In June this year he became chairman of the ClimateWise initiative, a group of companies and organisations in the insurance industry committed to taking action on climate change.
