Aviva to rebrand Hibernian Insurance

The Norwich Union brand name is to be ditched after more than 200 years, its parent group said today, in a move which will also see Irish insurer Hibernian rebranded.

Insurance giant Aviva said the UK insurance and savings business will operate under the Aviva name within two years.

As well as Norwich Union, the streamlining move will also see Commercial Union Poland rebranded.

Aviva said that more than 60% of the group’s business was now generated outside the UK, and that operating under the Aviva name would boost “global impact”.

Group chief executive Andrew Moss said: “By investing in a single name, we will amplify the global impact of our advertising and sponsorship spend.”

Norwich Union, which has 22.6 million UK customers, was formed in Norwich in 1797 offering fire insurance. It is one of the East Anglian city’s biggest employers with 6,700 staff, alongside another 29,000 employed across the UK.

Hibernian was launched in Dublin in 1908, and employs around 2,200 people.

Motoring organisation RAC, which is part of Norwich Union, is to retain its brand name, Aviva said.

Aviva was formed in 2002 after the merger of Norwich Union and CGU. It is now the fifth largest insurance group in the world, and the name changes announced marks the final stage of a group-wide rebranding.

Aviva also announced today that it will be sponsoring the shirts of Championship side Norwich City Football Club from next season.

The deal, which sees the insurer replace budget airline Flybe, lasts for three years. An Aviva spokeswoman said: “We wanted to demonstrate that we are absolutely committed to the people of Norwich.”