Scottish General Insurance Company
The Scottish General Insurance Company was incorporated on November 4 1919 as the Scottish Automobile and General Insurance Company Ltd. The company commenced business on November 28, specialising in the insurance of motors vehicles on non-tariff lines.
Company History
Scottish General Insurance Company policy header
Scottish Automobile and General Insurance Company branded cigarette and match cases
Scottish General Insurance Company Christmas card
C Mackidd Falconer
Scottish Automobile and General Insurance Company map
Although the company specialised in motor insurance, it transacted many kinds of insurance and business expanded quickly. In 1928, the company established a subsidiary, Automotor Finance Ltd, to transact hire purchase business and, by 1932 was offering private motor, business motor, commercial motor, employers' liability, fire, public liability, burglary, householders, personal accident, plate glass and general risks insurance.
The 1930s proved to be a difficult decade, however. The company was too small to cope with changes under the 1930 Road Traffic Act and also found itself in difficulties after the death of founder and secretary, John M'Cabe. In May 1933, the company was acquired by the General Accident Fire & Life Assurance Corporation. On June 1 1939, the company was renamed the Scottish General Insurance Company Ltd as it was felt the previous name was too restrictive and gave potential customers the impression it was mostly a motor insurer.
The company's fortunes improved during the following years, with premium income passing the million-pound mark for the first time in 1954. In June 1968, the company ceased writing new business and, by 1969, the whole of its existing portfolio had been transferred to General Accident.
In September 1968, the company pioneered a new form of motor insurance for General Accident. The DC (Direct Communication) Plan offered :
"Better protection for the better driver"
And was designed to reduce paper work by allowing direct communication between qualifying policy holders (motorists aged between 25 and 74 with a minimum one-year no claims history) and the head office. The DC Plan was rebranded Drivers Club in 1984 and was still the company's principal activity in 1991.
The company went into liquidation on May 1 2007.
Key dates
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1919 | The company is established |
| 1928 | The company establishes a subsidiary to transact hire purchase business |
| 1933 | The company becomes a subsidiary of the General Accident Fire & Life Assurance Corporation |
| 1939 | Name changes to the Scottish General Insurance Company |
| 1954 | Premium income passes the million-pound mark |
| 1968 | The company pioneers the DC (Direct Communication) Plan |
| 2007 | The company goes into liquidation |
Did you know...?
- One of the first directors, Robert J Smith, was a founder member and first secretary of the Royal Scottish Automobile Club.
- Former secretary, J Livingston Dykes, was well known in the theatrical world and often arranged for staff to put on shows.
Subsidiaries and constituents*
| Year | Company name |
|---|---|
| 1928 | Automotor Finance Ltd |
| 1939 | Scottish Automobile and General Insurance Company (name protection) |
* Please note the first date given is the date of the establishment of the company and the second date is the date the company was acquired or became a subsidiary. Where only one date is given the company was established as a subsidiary of the parent company. Where one date is preceded by a hyphen the date of the establishment of the company is not known.
Head office premises
Glasgow
| Year | Address |
|---|---|
| 1919 - 1969 | 136/138 Hope Street |
| 1969 - 1977 at least | 100 West Nile Street |
London
| Year | Address |
|---|---|
| 1925 - 1927 | 1 Lombard Court, Gracechurch Street |
| 1927 - 1933 | Leadenhall House, 101 Leadenhall Street. |
| 1933 - 1941 | Sackville House, 40 Piccadilly London |
| 1941 - 1977 at least | General Buildings 99 Aldwych |
Staff and officials
Manager
| Year | Name |
|---|---|
| 1919 - 1933 | George Lammie & Son (Insurance) Ltd |
| 1933 - 1934 | G B W Hailey |
| 1934 - 1938 | C Mackidd Falconer |
| 1938 - 1945 | Alfred H Pearson |
| 1945 - 1960 | A C Cunningham |
| 1960 - 1964 | J Nelmes Crocker (general manager) |
| 1964 - 1967 | H A Collarbone |
| 1967 - 1972 | J B Mackenzie |
| 1972 - 1977 at least | H D Waldron |
Secretary
| Year | Name |
|---|---|
| 1919 - 1933 | John M'Cabe |
| 1933 - 1952 | J Livingston Dykes |
| 1952 - 1968 | Robert Fyfe |
| 1968 - 1977 at least | William L Carrick |
Directors (1919)
- Robert J Smith
- William Henry Pryce
- William S Miller
- George F Paisley
Branches and agencies
- Edinburgh (1919)
- Aberdeen (1919)
- Carlisle (1919)
- Newcastle (1919)
- Ayr (1921 )
- Leeds (1921)
- Dundee (1923)
- Inverness (1923)
- Bournemouth (1923)
- Exeter (1923)
- Manchester (1924)
- Birmingham (1927)
- Cardiff (1928)
- Liverpool (1929)
- Brighton (1930)
- Dumfries (1930)
- Hull (1930)
- Norwich (1930)
- Darlington (1931)
- Lancaster (1931)
In the archives
The Aviva archive contains records relating to the running of the Scottish General Insurance Company between 1919 and 1997. The collection includes board minutes, specimen and completed policies, product literature, board of trade returns, register of directors and secretaries, register of members, accounts, annual reports and accounts, revenue accounts, seal register, photographs and advertising material.
