About Us
Who we are in a nutshell
A bit about us and what we do
We’re a mutual protection, savings and retirement provider.
Our 1,700 people help our customers protect their income while they are working and maximise it when they stop. By doing this we enable people to live confident lives.
We believe that everyone should have access to independent, regulated financial advice. It should not be seen as a luxury for the few who can afford it or who are experienced in using it. Why? Because it provides financial and emotional benefits. Good advice ensures better financial outcomes and frees people from the worry of making complex decisions that could have long-term implications.
We work with a wide range of financial advisers and it is through them that the majority of customers will buy our products and services.
Our 1.28 million customers, 1.25 million of which are members, hold a variety of products with us including life insurance, income protection, investments and retirement income solutions such as equity release, fixed term annuities and drawdown products.
We also licence our brand to LV= General Insurance Group (LV=GI), a subsidiary of Allianz Holdings plc. LV=GI is one of the largest personal insurers in the UK and looks after the car, home, landlord, pet and travel insurance needs of over 5.5 million customers.
Company structure
Being a mutual
Mutuals are owned by members rather than shareholders and the concept of mutuality goes back to the early days of insurance.
Out of the appalling squalor and degradation of 19th century Britain rose the first Burial and Friendly Societies. Their purpose was to give even the poorest members of society the means of providing for themselves, and their children a decent burial through the payment of a half-penny, a penny or three pence a week.
While many companies, with similar backgrounds, have fallen by the wayside our strength and determination to do the right thing has stood the test of time. Today we are one of the best known and most trusted insurers in the UK and are proud to remain a mutual.
Much of our success can be attributed to our mutual status. We do things differently from other financial services companies, and in many ways better. Our member ownership model means we don’t have to focus on generating profits for shareholders, instead we can take a longer-term view and focus on doing what is right for our customers and members.
The values of a mutual, of shared ownership and community over and above pure profit are just as relevant now as they have ever been.
More information
So, what would you like to know more about?
Helping customers
Green Heart Support
Green Heart Support is all about bettering the lives of the people that trust us to look out for them
helping others
Corporate Responsibility
We’re passionate about looking after our people, investing in our communities and caring about the environment
added value
Membership
We’ve been helping our members look after what they love for over 175 years
Reports
Company Information
Read our Annual Report or find out how we're fighting financial crime
being trusted
Awards and Recognition
We're extremely proud to be recognised for our products and services
Work with us
Careers
We know that no one day, no one customer and no one conversation is the same as the next. Curious? Join us