Aviva

Aviva plc /ˈævɪvə/ is a British multinational insurance company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It has around 34 million customers (before removal of duplication of Aviva and Friends Life customers) across 16 countries. In the UK, Aviva is the largest general insurer and a leading life and pensions provider. In addition, Aviva has a focus on five markets in Europe and, in Asia, the company is focused on the growth markets of China and South East Asia. Aviva is also the second largest general insurer in Canada.

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.

Name

The name of the company upon its formation in May 2000 was CGNU plc. In April 2002 the company's shareholders voted to change the company name to "Aviva plc", an invented word derived from "viva", the Latin for 'life' and designed to be short, memorable and work worldwide. 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 Group Ireland

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. Hoover's reports that Aviva is the largest general insurer in Ireland, with a market share of more than 20%. The company also has a majority shareholding in Aviva Health Insurance.

History

The company was established in 1908 as Hibernian. In 1925, 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. In 1935, Guardian Assurance sold the company to a consortium of Irish firms, including the Bank of Ireland. In 1940, the company started to transact engineering business and, in 1946, added marine insurance in partnership with the Irish National Insurance Company Ltd. In 1964, the Commercial Union Assurance Company Ltd acquired the majority shareholding from the Bank of Ireland and, in May 1966, changed the company's name to the Hibernian Insurance Company Ltd. By 1969, Commercial Union owned 99.9% of shares in the company.

Aviva (disambiguation)

Aviva is an international insurance company based in the United Kingdom.

Aviva may also refer to: