Famous customers
There have been many famous customers over the years, we have selected a few of interest.
Robert Walpole
In 1710, the Hand in Hand Fire and Life Insurance Society insured the house of Robert Walpole, who would become Britain’s first prime minister.
Sir Isaac Newton
In 1717, the Hand in Hand Fire and Life Insurance Society insured a house belonging to Sir Isaac Newton.
Sir Walter Scott
The Aviva archive includes a policy on the life of the novelist Sir Walter Scott taken out with the Edinburgh Life Assurance Company in December 1824. Recently revealed endorsements show that in February 1826 in the weeks following his financial ruin he assigned the policy, which was for £2000, to David Hogarth of Hilton. Two years later a further endorsement shows that, with the agreement of Hogarth and Scott’s trustees, James Jollie and John Gibson, half the policy was assigned to Robert Cadell as manager and trustee of Cadell & Co Booksellers of Edinburgh. The next endorsement refers to the voyage Scott undertook in October 1831 to Malta and Naples on HMS Barham under Captain Arthur Pigot for which he had to pay an additional premium of 10 shillings. Details of this voyage, which was organised to improve his failing health, are given in Scott’s journal. Sadly the trip did not restore him to fitness and he returned to Abbotsford, which he insured with another Aviva constituent Scottish Union Insurance Company, to die on 21st September 1832. The final endorsement on the life policy confirms that the sum of £2,000 was paid to David Hogarth in January 1833.
The Guinness family
The Guarantee Society insured staff working at the Guinness brewery during the 1880s.
Sir Winston Churchill
Photo © Getty images
Winston Churchill, then a young officer in the 4th Queen's Own Hussars, took out a personal accident policy with the Accident Insurance Company in 1896.
The policy covered accidental death for £1,000, with lesser benefits in the event of disablement.
The annual premium of £6 14s (£6.70) included risks from steeplechasing and other forms of racing, plus travel and temporary residence outside Europe.
In 1958 the directors of Commercial Union, which had acquired the Accident Insurance Company in 1906, wrote to Sir Winston informing him that this was the oldest personal accident policy on the company's books, and would be free of further premium payments.
In his reply, Sir Winston thanked the board "for their most courteous action". He added: "Pray accept my warm thanks for your thought of me, which has given me pleasure."
John F Kennedy
John F Kennedy's motor policy
General Accident provided motor insurance for the Kennedy family until 1972 including president John F Kennedy.