30-616: Aviva Group Ireland plc is the Irish arm of British insurance firm Aviva plc . Its headquarters are in Dublin . The company also provides investment management and pension services. D&B Hoovers reported in October 2010 that Aviva is the largest general insurer in Ireland, with a market share of more than 20% in the country. The company was established in 1908 as Hibernian. In 1925,
60-468: A 30% share of the company. The company was acquired by CGU plc in November 1999. It later became part of Aviva . In June 2008, the company announced that it was to transfer much of its operations to Bangalore , India with the loss of 580 jobs. In the same year, Hibernian announced that it would be rebranding as Aviva as part of a global rebranding campaign to have all Aviva’s subsidiaries operate under
90-598: A broker' facility, using the British Insurance Brokers Association search engine. To help them with this endeavour, Paul Whitehouse was recruited to play the part of a successful hairdresser running three salons. The message of the campaign focused on business insurance through insurance brokers . In September 2011, Aviva completed the sale of RAC plc breakdown recovery operation for £1.0 billion to The Carlyle Group . In February 2012, Aviva sold its occupational health business to
120-714: A group of local merchants and brokers decided to form their own company. This became known as the Commercial Union Assurance Company. The company established its head office at 24-26 Cornhill in London in 1897. It purchased the Hand in Hand Fire & Life Insurance Society , the world's oldest fire insurance company, in 1905 and The Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation in 1910 and it continued to grow by further acquisitions. The acquisition of
150-567: A merger of two British insurance firms, Norwich Union and CGU plc (itself created by the merger of 1998 of Commercial Union and General Accident ) as CGNU in February 2000. The Aviva name was adopted in July 2002. Thereafter, most of the group operations, except for some strong local brands, were carried out under the uniform brand "Aviva". In 2002, Aviva purchased Abeille Vie, a French life insurance company. In March 2005, Aviva acquired
180-518: A reorganization caused by further turmoil in the Eurozone . In December 2012, Aviva agreed to sell Aviva USA Corporation to Athene Holding for US$ 1.8 billion (£1.1 billion) as part of a plan to improve shareholder returns and reduce the group's capital requirements, having paid $ 2.9 billion in 2006 and incurring a large loss on sale. Athene subsequently sold the life insurance business of Aviva to Global Atlantic. On 13 April 2015, Aviva completed
210-657: Is a British multinational insurance company headquartered in London , England. It has about 19 million customers across its core markets of the United Kingdom, Ireland and Canada. In the United Kingdom, Aviva is the largest general insurer and a leading life and pensions provider. Aviva is also the second largest general insurer in Canada. Aviva has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange , and
240-569: Is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index . The name of the company upon its formation in May 2000 was CGNU plc and was created when Norwich Union merged with insurer CGU. In April 2002, the company's shareholders voted to change the company name to Aviva plc , an invented palindrome word derived from "viva", the Latin for 'alive' and designed to be short, memorable and work worldwide. The Norwich Union brand
270-572: The RAC plc breakdown recovery operation for around £1.1 billion. In July 2006, Aviva greatly increased its presence in the United States by acquiring AmerUs Group , a Des Moines based financial services company, founded as the Brotherhood of American Yeomen in 1896, in a $ 2.9 billion (£1.6 billion) deal. The launch was supported by a £9 million advertising campaign to promote
300-640: The West Surrey Racing British Touring Car Championship team from 2006 through to 2009, and also sponsored Colin Turkington in an Aviva-branded car in the season finale of the 2007 World Touring Car Championship . Aviva again sponsored Turkington, under the banner of 'Team Aviva-Cofco', in selected races in the 2010 , 2011 and 2012 WTCC. Aviva sponsored rugby union's English Premiership from 2010 to 2018. In Vietnam, Aviva started operating in
330-576: The Aviva Board announced Mark Wilson was to step down, remaining as part of the company until April 2019 though on garden leave; with Sir Adrian Montague assuming executive responsibilities in the interim whilst a replacement candidate is sought. Maurice Tulloch was appointed CEO in March 2019; however, he stood down in July 2020 for family health reasons and was replaced by Amanda Blanc , who previously served as an Independent Non-Executive Director of
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#1732775329923360-589: The British General Insurance Company followed in 1926. Then, after completing the acquisition of North British and Mercantile Insurance , which had significant operations in the United States, in 1959, Commercial Union moved to larger and more modern facilities at St. Helen's in London in 1969. With the intention of expanding its activities in continental Europe, it acquired the Dutch insurance business, Delta Lloyd Group , in 1973 and
390-553: The British support services company Capita . In July 2012, Aviva announced plans to sell or close 16 non core businesses in order to simplify its activities and boost shareholder returns. As part of the plans Aviva announced the sale of its operations in South Korea and the closure to new business of its bulk buying annuity unit in the United Kingdom. In August 2012, Aviva announced that up to 800 jobs would be lost, following
420-546: The Guardian Assurance Company Ltd purchased a majority shareholding in the company and by 1931, it was offering fire, accident, motor, fidelity guarantee and plate glass insurance. Guardian Assurance sold the company to a consortium of Irish firms, including the Bank of Ireland, in 1935. The company started to transact engineering business in 1940, and in 1946 added marine insurance in partnership with
450-706: The Irish National Insurance Company Ltd. In 1964, the Commercial Union Assurance Company Ltd acquired the majority shareholding from the Bank of Ireland and two years later changed the company’s name to the Hibernian Insurance Company Ltd. By 1969, Commercial Union owned 99.9% of shares in the company. A consortium of Irish investors acquired the majority shareholding in the company in 1979, while Commercial Union retained
480-452: The ability" to cancel its irredeemable preference shares at par. This caused a wider sell off in the preference share market in the United Kingdom. Also in March 2018 the company announced to spend around £600 million on so called "bolt on" acquisitions, that are in "Poland, Turkey, anywhere we have existing markets". In October 2018, Mark Wilson agreed to step down as CEO with immediate effect, with Adrian Montague taking interim control of
510-681: The business group. In September 2023, it was announced Aviva had acquired the London-headquartered life insurance company, AIG Life Limited from Corebridge Financial for £460 million. In November 2023, Aviva acquired a Canadian vehicle replacement insurance business, Optiom, for £100 million (US$ 126 million). Aviva's main activities are the provision of general and life insurance, long term savings products and fund management services. The group has around 23,000 employees and 19 million customers. Aviva Investors has £227 billion assets under management as at 31 March 2023. Following
540-576: The business of Friends' First from Dutch company Achmea . The business had earlier been part of Friends Provident until it was demutualised in 1992, rolled into Eureko and later rebranded as Friends' First in 1998. It was announced in February 2009 that the new stadium on Lansdowne Road in Dublin would be called the Aviva Stadium as a result of a ten-year deal with Aviva reported to be worth €40 million. Aviva plc Aviva plc
570-476: The company, pending Wilson's formal departure in 2019. Maurice Tulloch was appointed CEO in March 2019; however, he stood down in July 2020 for family health reasons and was replaced by Amanda Blanc , who previously served as an Independent Non-Executive Director of the company. In November 2020, Aviva sold its stake in their Indonesian company Astra Aviva Life and their Hong Kong division. In 2021, Aviva sold its French operations to Aéma Groupe. As part of
600-432: The company. George Culmer took over as chairman from Sir Adrian Montague on 27 May 2020. In May 2008, Aviva became Norwich City Football Club 's main sponsor. In an advert from 2009 starring Paul Whitehouse , they feature a Plymouth Argyle F.C. fan who uses Aviva car insurance, followed by a Green Army chant. It also acquired the naming rights for the redeveloped Lansdowne Road stadium in Dublin , Ireland, which
630-654: The completion of Friends Life Group Limited in April 2015, Friends Provident International Limited is now part of the Aviva Group. CEO Richard Harvey retired on 11 July 2007. His successor was Andrew Moss, the former group finance director. Moss was paid an annual base salary of £925,000 for his role as chief executive. Moss resigned on 8 May 2012, after shareholders voted down a proposed senior management pay deal which would have seen Moss increase his basic pay by 5% despite several years of Aviva underperformance. Following
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#1732775329923660-594: The deal, Aviva agreed to indemnify Aéma against potential legal liabilities to Max-Hervé George . In May, Aviva completed the sale of its Turkish business, followed by businesses in Italy ( Aviva Italia Holding ) and Poland in December 2021. In April 2023, Aviva terminated its membership of the Confederation of British Industry in response to allegations made by former employees of sexual harassment and rape at
690-500: The departure of Aviva's CEO, Andrew Moss, McFarlane assumed the role of executive deputy chairman and became executive chairman on 1 July 2012. On 20 November 2012, Aviva announced that Mark Wilson had been appointed CEO, starting 1 January 2013. On 12 September 2014, Aviva announced that Sir Adrian Montague would become non executive chairman, on the retirement of John McFarlane at the Aviva AGM in April 2015. On 9 October 2018,
720-585: The life insurance sector from July 2011, with its predecessor being Vietinbank Aviva Life Insurance Company Limited. In April 2017, Aviva Group announced the acquisition of 50% of the shares of the Vietinbank Aviva Life Insurance Joint Venture from VietinBank . On 17 July 2017, Vietinbank Aviva Life Insurance Company Limited was officially renamed Aviva Vietnam Life Insurance Company Limited (short for Aviva Vietnam). Commercial Union Commercial Union plc
750-483: The rebranding (one of the most expensive ever in the insurance field), with the participation of celebrities including Bruce Willis and Alice Cooper . In June 2009, the company decided to dispose of Navigator , its Australian wealth management business, to National Australia Bank for A$ 825 million (£401 million). In October 2009, the company decided to focus on its commercial insurance sector and demonstrate its commitment to brokers by launching their 'find
780-573: The same name. Also in 2008, the Central Bank of Ireland fined the company for various breaches of the Consumer Protection Code. The company dismantled its Dublin-based European holding company in April 2011, moving the operation from London. In the same year, the Central Bank of Ireland again fined Aviva for failing to have proper controls and procedures surrounding the safeguarding of client assets. In 2018, Aviva acquired
810-744: The £5.6 billion all share takeover of Friends Life Group . Andy Briggs , then group chief executive of Friends Life, became CEO of Aviva UK Life, with Mark Wilson continuing as CEO of the enlarged Aviva Group. In July 2016, Aviva froze withdrawals from the Aviva Investors Property Trust because of a lack of liquidity after Britain's vote to leave the European Union on 23 June . In September 2017, Aviva agreed to sell its Italian joint venture Avipop Assicurazioni to Banco BPM for US$ 312.01 million (€265 million). In March 2018, Aviva, controversially, announced that it "had
840-621: Was a large insurance business based in London . It merged with General Accident in 1998 to form CGU plc . Commercial Union was established following a conflagration near London Bridge in 1861, known as the Great Tooley Street Fire , which destroyed a number of warehouses and wharves along the River Thames as a result of which the fire insurance companies were hit by a series of massive claims. Consequently, they increased their fire insurance rates so dramatically that
870-517: Was renamed the Aviva Stadium . In January 2018, the naming rights were extended to 2025. In 2023, Aviva sponsored Aviva Studios , a cultural space in Manchester. It has been designed to enable the commissioning of large scale and intimate work across different art forms, including dance, theatre, music, opera, visual arts, popular culture and digital work, plus major exhibitions and concerts. Aviva, via its then-owned subsidiary RAC, sponsored
900-575: Was retained for the UK long-term savings and general insurance business. In April 2008, Aviva announced that it would adopt the Aviva name as its worldwide consumer-facing brand, and that the Norwich Union brand would be phased out in the United Kingdom. Aviva can trace its history back to the establishment of the Hand in Hand Fire & Life Insurance Society in London in 1696. It was created by
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