General Accident and Employers' Liability Assurance Association Ltd
The General Accident and Employers’ Liability Assurance Association was established on December 16 1885 by a group of businessmen and landowners from Perthshire who decided to form an insurance company to protect their holdings and the interests of their employees.
Company History
General Accident and Employers’ Liability share prospectus, 1888
General Accident and Employers' Liability advertisement, 1890
Initially an accident and employers' liability insurer, the association soon expanded its business to include sickness insurance. In June 1886, the association's first policy was taken out by George Miller. During the course of the following year, the company undertook the insurance of many tram companies across the country.
In 1887, the association started writing fidelity guarantee, live stock and marine passengers' insurance. An advertisement from 1887 stated the company's business:
"Accidents of all kinds covered by a totally unrestricted policy. Employers' liability assurance. Joint policies covering all Accidents to Workpeople. Policies securing Indemnity to Owners of Vehicles and Builders for Accidents to third parties. Fidelity guarantee bonds for all positions of Trust. Policies insuring the Baggage of Marine Passengers and Mariners".
In 1890, the association issued its first burglary policy, a type of business described as "venturesome speculation" by the long-established fire insurance offices. The association was only the second insurer to issue this type of policy after the Mercantile Accident & Guarantee Company Ltd of Glasgow, the company with which Francis Norie-Miller was working before he became the association's secretary.
In 1891, in order to facilitate the development of the business, a new company, the General Accident Assurance Corporation Ltd, was incorporated with the same officials, staff, premises and minute books. In February of that year, the association's business, assets and liabilities were amalgamated with those of the new company and the association went into voluntary liquidation.
Key dates
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1885 | The association is established |
| 1891 | General Accident Assurance Corporation is incorporated with the same officials, staff, premises and minute books |
| 1891 | The association's business, assets and liabilities are amalgamated with those of General Accident Assurance |
| 1891 | The association goes into voluntary liquidation |
Did you know...?
- The association began undertaking tobogganing risks from 1887.
- In 1888, the association declined to insure a rugby tour to Australia organised by Alfred Shaw and Arthur Shrewsbury, two of the leading cricketers of the era.
- In 1888, the association were asked for a quotation to insure the Australian cricket team visiting the United Kingdom.
Head office premises
Perth
| Year | Address |
|---|---|
| 1886 - 1891 | Victoria Buildings, 44 Tay Street |
London
| Year | Address |
|---|---|
| by 1887 - 1888 at least | 17 Abchurch Lane |
| by 1889 - 1891 | 4 Abchurch Yard |
Staff and officials
Secretary
| Year | Name |
|---|---|
| 1885 - 1887 | Walter Ireland |
| 1887 | James Paul (interim secretary) |
| 1887 - 1891 | Francis Norie-Miller |
Manager
| Year | Name |
|---|---|
| 1888 - 1891 | Francis Norie-Miller |
London Manager
| Year | Name |
|---|---|
| 1886 - 1887 | Mr Robertson |
| 1887 - 1888 | Charles W Snell |
| 1888 - 1889 | Mr F Mizon |
| 1889 - 1891 | William P Reid |
Directors (1885)
- George Kyd (chairman)
- Robert de Bruce Trotter (deputy chair)
- William Crawford
- Patrick Hunter
- William Macdonald
- William M'Kendrick
- D M Mackay
- William D Forbes
Home branches
- Glasgow (1885)
- London (1886)
- Edinburgh (1886)
- Aberdeen (1886)
- Liverpool (1887)
- Manchester (1887)
- Birmingham (1887)
- Arbroath (by 1887)
- Newcastle (1887)
- Bristol (1887)
- Cardiff (1887)
- Leeds (1887)
- Dundee (1889)
Overseas branches
- Dublin, Ireland (1887)
In the archives
The Aviva archive contains records relating to the running of the General Accident and Employers' Liability Assurance Association between 1885 and 1891. The collection includes board and committee minutes, annual reports and accounts, advertisements, registers of transfers, ledgers, registers of members, branch salary books, agenda books, memoranda and articles of association, copy certificates of incorporation, correspondence, policies, proposals and prospectuses
