Aviva

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Aviva plc (LSE: AV., NYSE: AV) is a global insurance company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the sixth-largest insurance company in the world measured by net premium income and has 53 million customers in 28 countries.[3] It is the market leader in both general insurance and life and pensions in the UK and has major businesses in Continental Europe, North America and Asia.[3]
Its primary listing is on the London Stock Exchange and it is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. It has a secondary listing on the New York Stock Exchange.
Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Operations
2.1 Companies
3 Senior management
4 Sponsorship
5 References
6 External links
[edit]History

Aviva can trace its history back to Hand in Hand Fire & Life Insurance Society in 1696.[4]
It was created by a merger of two British insurance firms, Norwich Union and CGU plc[5] (itself created by the 1998 merger of Commercial Union and General Accident[6]) as CGNU in 2000. The Aviva name was adopted in July 2002.
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".
[edit]Operations

The Company's main activities are general and life insurance as well as long-term savings and fund management. It has around £379 billion of assets under management. The group has 46,000 employees, serving 53 million customers worldwide.
Aviva was the first insurance company to become carbon neutral globally.[13]
[edit]Companies
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)
RAC – Breakdown recovery
United States of America – Aviva USA Corporation
Ireland
Aviva Direct
Aviva Health
Poland – Aviva
Spain
Netherlands – Delta Lloyd Groep
Romania – Aviva
Canada – Aviva Canada
France – Eurofil
Serbia
Australia
China – Aviva-Cofco
India – Aviva India
Malaysia – CIMB Aviva
Singapore
Turkey
Taiwan – First Aviva (in Chinese language)
Sri Lanka
Russia
Lithuania
Italy – Aviva Italia Holding S.p.A.
South Korea
[edit]Senior management

CEO Richard Harvey retired on 11 July 2007. His successor was Andrew Moss, the former group finance director.[14] Moss is paid an annual base salary of £925,000 for his role as Chief Executive.[15]
[edit]Sponsorship

In May 2008 Aviva became Norwich City Football Club's main sponsor. Ironically, 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.[16] It also acquired the naming rights for the redeveloped Lansdowne Road stadium in Dublin, Ireland, and will now be called the Aviva Stadium.[17]
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.[18]