Spain

Country History

Norwich Union Life Spanish prospectus, 1892

1862

By this year, L’Abeille, later part of the Commercial Union Assurance Company, has established operations in Spain.

1863

In June, the Northern Assurance Company, later part of Commercial Union, appoints Reed & Murrey agent for the Canary Islands. The North British & Mercantile Insurance Company, later part of Commercial Union, has operations in Tenerife by now.

1865

In December, Northern appoints Daniel McPherson agent for Cadiz.

1868

North British & Mercantile appoints Messrs Adolfo Pries & Co as agent for Barcelona.

1874

North British & Mercantile has operations in Madrid and Malaga.

1875

North British & Mercantile appoints Adolfo Pries & Co as agent for Malaga.

1877

In April, the Northern appoints Adolfo Rittwagen as agent for Malaga.

Norwich Union Life Spanish prospectus, 1902

1880

In September, the Northern appoints Mr R de Basterra as agent for Bilbao.

1881

On 10 October, Commercial Union is granted authority to operate in Spain. The company appoints Robertson McKinnell & Co as fire agent for Barcelona.

1883

The Commercial Union branch at Barcelona is now managed by Ignacio Olarte and Mr. Francisco Javier Lluch.

1884

In June, the Northern appoints A & J Verdejo Ramirez agent for Almena, William Anderson & Company agent for Seville and Raymundo & Company agent for Alicante. In July, the company appoints Heywoods & Orchardson agent for Cartegena and Dart & Company agent for Valencia. Augustin Pons is appointed agent for Barcelona in August. Commercial Union establishes agencies in Valencia, Madrid, Murcia, Albante, Tarragona, Huesa, Badajoz, and Lorea.

1885

In November, the Northern appoints Jose Bowron agent for Calasparra and Murcia.

1886

On 6 January, Commercial Union appoints M Sanchez & Co as agent for Bilbao and the Basque region. On 20 April, the company appoints Antonio Ocon y Rivas as fire agent for Madrid. In May, the Northern appoints Carlos Pagés as agent for Cordoba, Montalban Coll & Rios as agent for Madrid, Guasp Hermanos as agent for Majorca, Adrian Got as agent for San Sebastian and Francisco Donaire as agent for Granada. In June, the Northern appoints Semprun Hermanos as agent for Valladolid. On 6 July, Commercial Union appoints Christino Olsen of Cadiz as agent for Cadiz and Huelva. In July, Northern appoints Pablo Meyer agent for Coruña. On August, Commercial Union appoints the North West African Company as fire agent for the Canary Islands.

1887

On 25 December, Commercial Union appoints Lathbury & Co as life agent for Spain. Plus Ultra, Compania Anonima de Seguros y Reaseguros, later part of Norwich Union, is established.

Norwich Union office Malaga, Spain, c.1910

1889

On 8 January, Commercial Union appoints Jose Piris y Pons as fire agent for Santander. In June, the company appoints Mr F Campos Torremocha as agent for Alicante while Frances Javier Lluch is appointed marine general agency manager for Spain. On 22 July, Commercial Union appoints La Roda Hermanos as marine and fire agent for Valencia.

1891

The Palatine Insurance Company, later part of Commercial Union, has established operations in Spain.

1892

Norwich Union has opened offices at Paseo de Aduana in Barcelona.

1894

On 23 January, Commercial Union appoints Frances Javier Lluch manager for Madrid.

1895

In November, the Northern appoints Maribona y Hermans as agent for Aviles.

1896

In July, the Northern appoints John R Rose agent for Vigo.

Norwich Union Fire Malaga, top of headed notepaper, 1922

1897

Commercial Union appoints Mr A Grant agent for the Canary Islands.

1898

In November, the Northern appoints Ballesteros & Co as agent for Gijon and Mr P A Santuiste as agent for Santander. Commercial Union appoints sub agents for Las Palmas, based in Orotavo.

1903

The General Accident Fire & Life Assurance Corporation establishes a branch in Barcelona.

1910

In March, the Northern appoints Antidio Pajares agent for Oviedo.

1911

General Accident withdraws from Spain and manager Roger Hall returns to the company head office in Perth L'Abeille recommences business in Spain.

1914

The Norwich Union Life Insurance Society is now operating in Madrid.

1915

Messrs G & D Smither are now acting as agents for Commercial Union in Barcelona.

1922

By this date Almeda de Wilson is acting as agent for Norwich Union Life and Norwich Union Fire in Malaga.

Northern Assurance, Spanish agent, 1934

1934

An article in the Northern staff magazine describes the company’s general agent for Barcelona, Agustin Pons, in the following terms: “unabating energy and the wide sphere of his personal influence have enabled the Northern to maintain a prominent position among the ranks of foreign companies operating in Spain.”

1938

By this date, Norwich Union Fire has appointed Jose Maria Escobar Barrilaro as agent for Malaga.

1956

Norwich Union Life and Norwich Union Fire appoint Villanova Bros. & Co as agent for Barcelona.

1973

Commercial Union takes over the Northern agents in Spain.

1975

Commercial Union takes over the North British & Mercantile agents in Spain.

1976

By this date, Commercial Union has appointed Mr T M Kearney as general manager for Spain. Mike Openshaw is running the Madrid offices at Calle Orense 4.

1977

On 1 April, Mr Iglesia has succeeded T M Kearney as general manager.

1985

On 20 June, Commercial Union Vida Seguros y Reaseguros S.A. (CU Vida) is formed to transact life insurance business in Spain for Commercial Union.

1990

The Norwich Union Group acquires Plus Ultra.

1991

Commercial Union creates Commercial Union Seguros y Reaseguros Generales SA (CUSEGESA,) to absorb the non-life business of its Spanish branch and become the holding company of CU Vida, Commercial Union Servicios Financieros SA (CUSF) and Commercial Union Consulting y Gestion SA (CUCG), providing services to the group’s Spanish operations. General Accident returns to Spain.

2000

Norwich Union merges with CGU to form CGNU, later Aviva, while Plus Ultra and CUSEGESA merge in Spain. CGNU acquires 50% and management control of Spanish savings bank, Aseval, following a deal signed with Bancaja.

2001

Aviva signs three bancassurance deals with Unicaja, Caixa Galicia and Caja España.

2002

Aviva Corporación is created as a management and coordination unit for the Aviva Group in Spain. Aviva sells Plus Ultra's general insurance business to the French insurer, Groupama, but maintains the company’s life business, which begins operating under the Aviva brand. A new bancassurance agreement is reached with Caja Granada.

2003

In July, Aviva Gestión de Inversiones AIE is formed to manage the investments of most of Aviva Spain's business units.

2007

Aviva signs a bancassurance deal with Cajamurcia.