Aviva plc (LSE: AV., NYSE: AV) is a British multinational insurance company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the sixth-largest insurance company in the world measured by net premium income and has around 43 million customers across 21 countries.^[2] It is the market leader in both general insurance and life and pensions in the UK and has major businesses in Asia, Continental Europe and North America.^[2]

Aviva has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. It has a secondary listing on the New York Stock Exchange.

History[link]

Aviva can trace its history back to the establishment of the Hand in Hand Fire & Life Insurance Society in London in 1696.^[3]

It was created by a merger of two British insurance firms, Norwich Union and CGU plc^[4] (itself created by the 1998 merger of Commercial Union and General Accident^[5]) as CGNU in 2000. The Aviva name was adopted in July 2002.^[6]

During March 2005 Aviva plc acquired the RAC plc breakdown recovery operation for around £1.1 billion.^[7]

In July 2006, Aviva greatly increased its presence in the United States by acquiring AmerUs Group, a financial services company founded in 1896.^[8] Aviva Corp. is not affiliated with Aviva Energy Corp., an energy consulting firm based in the U.S.

The Company continued to use the Norwich Union name as a trading name in the UK until 1 June 2009 when it became formally known as Aviva within the United Kingdom. The launch was supported by a £9 million advertising campaign to promote the rebranding (one of the most expensive ever in the UK insurance field), with the participation of celebrities including Bruce Willis and Alice Cooper.^[9] In January 2010, the process of Aviva's rebrand was formally recognised when they appeared on the shortlist of the Transform Awards for rebranding and brand transformation in a number of categories^[10]

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).^[11]

In October 2009 the company decided to focus on its commercial insurance sector and demonstrate its commitment to brokers by launching their 'find 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.^[12] The closing line of the campaign was "We're in business to keep you in business".

In September 2011, Aviva plc completed the sale of RAC plc breakdown recovery operation for £1.0 billion to The Carlyle Group.^[13]

Operations[link]

St. Helen's, Aviva's world headquarters in London

Aviva's main activities are the provision of general and life insurance, long-term savings products and fund management services. The group has around 36,600 employees, £379 billion of assets under management and 43 million customers.^[2]

Principal subsidiaries[link]

• United Kingdom
  • Aviva Life – Pensions, investments, Life Insurance and long term savings (formerly Norwich Union)
  • Aviva Insurance – General Insurance
  • Aviva Investors – Fund Management (formerly Morley Fund Management)
• United States of America
  • Aviva USA Corporation - headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa
• Ireland
  • Aviva Direct
  • Aviva Health
• Poland – Aviva
• Spain
• Netherlands – Delta Lloyd Groep (43.1% shareholding)
• Canada – Aviva Canada
• France – Aviva France
• China – Aviva-Cofco
• India – Aviva India
• Malaysia – CIMB Aviva
• Singapore
• Turkey
  • AvivaSA Emeklilik
  • Aviva Sigorta
• Taiwan – First Aviva (in Chinese language)
• Sri Lanka
• Russia - Aviva Russia
• Lithuania
• Italy – Aviva Italia Holding S.p.A.
• South Korea - Woori Aviva

Former companies

• Australia: Aviva Investors Australia Ltd, sold to National Australia Bank in 2009.

Senior management[link]

CEO Richard Harvey retired on 11 July 2007. His successor was Andrew Moss, the former group finance director.^[14] Moss was paid an annual base salary of £925,000 for his role as Chief Executive.^[15] 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.^[16] John McFarlane was named interim executive deputy chairman with immediate effect and will become executive chairman on 1 July, until a new chief executive is found.^[16]

Sponsorships[link]

In May 2008 Aviva became Norwich City Football Club's main sponsor. In a 2009 television advert starring Paul Whitehouse they feature a Plymouth Argyle F.C. fan who uses Aviva car insurance followed by a Green Army chant.^[17] It also acquired the naming rights for the redeveloped Lansdowne Road stadium in Dublin, Ireland, and will now be called the Aviva Stadium.^[18]

In 2010, Aviva also took over sponsorship of rugby union's English Premiership from Guinness. The four-year sponsorship deal is valued at £20 million.^[19]

References[link]

External links[link]

	London portal
	Companies portal

• Aviva plc
• Profile of Aviva USA

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