Britannic Assurance

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Britannic Assurance
Industry Insurance
Founded1866;159 years ago (1866)
Defunct2003 (2003)
FateMerged with Resolution plc
Successor Phoenix Group
Headquarters Birmingham, England

Britannic Assurance was a major British insurance company based in Birmingham, England.

History

The company was founded as the British Workmen's and General Insurance Company in Birmingham in 1866. It changed its name to Britannic Assurance in the early 20th century and established a large new office at Broad Street Corner in Birmingham in 1904. [1]

The company acquired Moor Green House and its grounds in Birmingham and established playing grounds for its staff there in the 1920s. [2] It commissioned new offices there in the 1960s. The new offices were designed in the modern style, built in concrete and glass and were opened by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Ernest Walter Horton, on 21 March 1963. [3] The company sponsored the Cricket County Championship from 1984 to 1998. [4] The company acquired the Glasgow-based insurance company, Alba Life, in 1999. [5]

Following the company's departure from the Moor Green site, the main office block was converted into apartments in 1999. [3] After issuing a profits warning in January 2003, [6] it closed to new business in March 2003. [7] It acquired the closed life fund of Cornhill Insurance in December 2004 [8] and then merged with Resolution plc in September 2005. [9] [10] [11]

References

  1. ↑ Monk, Reg. "Britannic Assurance – Moor Green Memories" (PDF). The Moseley Society. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  2. ↑ "A cricket game in play on the Britannic Park cricket ground, formerly the works sportsground of the Britannic Assurance Company, with Britannic House beyond". Historic England. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  3. 1 2 Berry, Janet (1 May 2020). "The Britannic Assurance New Chief Office". Moseley B13 Magazine. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  4. ↑ "That's out: the sponsors who walked". The Guardian. 20 August 1999. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  5. ↑ "Britannic cuts 250 Scots jobs". BBC News. 5 December 2001. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  6. ↑ "What ails Britannic? Longevity". The Guardian. 7 January 2003. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  7. ↑ "Britannic closes the door to new customers". The Guardian. 5 March 2003. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  8. ↑ "Britannic: life after death in the insurance world". CityWire. 15 December 2004. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  9. ↑ "Britannic and Resolution Life complete merger". Professional Adviser. 6 September 2005. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  10. ↑ "Britannic and Resolution confirm £1.8bn merger". The Guardian. 10 June 2005. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  11. ↑ "U.K. Insurer Britannic To Acquire Control Of Resolution Life". Wall Street Journal. 10 June 2005. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
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