Company war records
Many of Aviva's constituent companies actively encouraged their employees to enlist. They also recognised the need to support the families of those who volunteered.
The list below contains details from the war records of some of Aviva's constituent companies.
British General Insurance Company Ltd
Ocean Accident & Guarantee Corporation and British General Insurance Company war memorial
By December 1915, all eligible staff except one had been attested under Lord Derby's Scheme - where people gave their voluntary assent to be called up if necessary.
It is not known how many men eventually served in the forces. Eight members of staff are known to have died.
At this date, the company had 37 men serving, 26 attested, 14 rejected and 18 in indispensable positions.
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The City of Glasgow Life Assurance Company
Forty-four members of staff served in the forces, including the flying ace Matthew Brown 'Bunty' Frew. Eleven members of staff are known to have died - 25% of those who served.
View more on The City of Glasgow Life Assurance Company
Commercial Union Assurance Company Ltd
Commercial Union Assurance Company war memorial
From a total pre-war staff of 2,464, by 1916, 1,004 were serving, 424 attested and not called up and 355 had offered themselves and been rejected, making a total of 1,883 or 76% of staff who had enlisted.
By May 1917, 1,597 men were serving in the forces. One hundred and fourteen members of staff are known to have died - 7% of those who served.
View more on Commercial Union Assurance Company Ltd
Edinburgh Life Assurance Company
The company history proudly records that “All men of fighting age came forward - there was not a single conscript.”
It is not known how many men in total served in the forces. Three members of staff are known to have died.
View more on Edinburgh Life Assurance Company
Employers' Liability Assurance Corporation Ltd
The Employers' Liability Assurance Corporation Roll of Honour in Hamilton House
The Employers' Liability Assurance Corporation memorial in Hamilton House
In 1916, every man of military age on the staff - both temporary and permanent - in Great Britain at head office and in the company's 12 branches had enlisted or enrolled under Lord Derby's scheme - where people gave their voluntary assent to be called up if necessary.
By the end of the war, the company had 175 enlisted men in Great Britain, made up of two Directors, 106 men from head office and 67 men from its branches. In addition, the company had five men from Australia, 19 from Canada and 186 from the United States serving in the forces, making the total number 385. Twenty-nine members of staff are known to have died - 7.5% of those who served.
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Fine Art and General Insurance Company Ltd
Roll of Honour for Head Office Staff of Railway Passengers Assurance Company and The Fine Art & General Insurance Company.
One hundred and ten men served in the forces. Ten members of staff are known to have died - 9% of those who served.
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General Accident Fire and Life Assurance Corporation Ltd
General Accident war memorial, General Buildings, Perth
By 1917, from a total of 355 male staff in home offices, 318 were serving and 37 were exempted. 90% of all male staff served in the forces. Forty-five members of staff are known to have died - 14% of those who served.
View more on General Accident Fire and Life Assurance Corporation Ltd
General Life Assurance Company
According to the company history, “every able-bodied and eligible member of staff responded to his country's call. Fortunately, all but two returned at the conclusion of hostilities and were able to resume their duties.”
It is not known how many served in the forces in total. Two members of staff are known to have died but only one is listed on the roll of honour as we have no details for the other.
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The Guarantee Society Ltd
Sixteen men served in the forces. Four members of staff are known to have died - 25% of those who served.
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Indemnity Mutual Marine Assurance Company Ltd
The company had a staff of 26 at the outbreak of war. Sixteen served in the forces, eight enlisting before the end of September 1914. Of the ten who did not serve, seven were over military age and three were unfit for service. Twelve people joined the staff after the outbreak of war; all went on to serve in the forces.
After the war, no one was employed by the company unless he could show evidence of military service.
Twenty-eight men eventually served in the forces. Four members of staff are known to have died - 15% of those who served.
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Imperial Livestock Insurance Company Ltd
It is not known how many men served in the forces. Four members of staff are known to have died.
View more on Imperial Livestock Insurance Company Ltd
L'Abeille Compagnies d'Assurances
L'Abeille Compagnies d'Assurances war memorial.
As a French company, L'Abeille suffered greatly during the war. Information was slow to come out of France to contemporary English insurance magazines but, by October 1916, the Post Magazine recorded the fact that, according to L'Argus, “so many of the Abeille Life Assurance Company of Paris's staff have lost their lives while serving as soldiers during the war that the company is advertising for several accountancy and actuarial clerks.”
We have no record of the number of men who served in the forces. Eighty-five members of staff are known to have died.
View more on L'Abeille Compagnies d'Assurances
London and Lancashire Life and General Assurance Association Ltd
It is not known how many men served in the forces. Eighteen members of staff are known to have died.
View more on London and Lancashire Life and General Assurance Association Ltd
London and Provincial Marine and General Insurance Company Ltd
It is not known how many men served in the forces. Three members of staff are known to have died.
View more on London and Provincial Marine and General Insurance Company Ltd
The National Insurance Company of Great Britain Ltd
By 1915, thirteen members of staff were serving, ten of whom had volunteered by September 1914. More staff enlisted under Lord Derby's Scheme - where people gave their voluntary assent to be called up if necessary - and, according to the board minutes, a “large proportion of staff” were serving.
It is not known how many men served in total. Four members of staff are known to have died.
View more on The National Insurance Company of Great Britain Ltd
North British and Mercantile Insurance Company
North British & Mercantile Insurance Company war memorial
580 men served in the forces. 72 members of staff are known to have died - 12% of those who served.
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The Northern Assurance Company Ltd
Of the 361 male staff in the United Kingdom at the outbreak of war, between 50 and 60 were already in the territorial forces or naval reserve. Most rejoined their regiments, some within a week of commencement of hostilities, and 50 responded in the first month to the call for volunteers.
By the end of 1914, 105 staff had joined up. In February 1916, before the military service act came into force, of the 262 eligible staff 246 had offered themselves up, 149 had joined military service, 67 were attested, exempted or awaiting call and 30 rejected as unfit. By the end of the war, 335 men were serving in the forces. Sixty-one members of staff are known to have died - 18% of those who served.
View more on The Northern Assurance Company Ltd
Norwich Union Fire Insurance Society Ltd
Memorial erected in Head Office of Norwich Union Fire Insurance Society.
In 1915, 258 members of staff were serving, with a further 164 attested and accepted under Lord Derby's Scheme but not called up. In total, 553 men served in the forces. Sixty-eight members of staff are known to have died - 11% of those who served.
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The Norwich Union Life Insurance Society
Norwich Union Life Insurance Society war memorial.
Of a total staff of 244 at the outbreak of war, by 1918 154 were on service - all but five of those eligible. It is not known how many men served in the forces in total. Twenty-three members of staff are known to have died.
View more on The Norwich Union Life Insurance Society
Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation Ltd
Ocean Accident & Guarantee Corporation and British General Insurance Company war memorial.
By early September 1914, 269 members of staff had enlisted. By November 1914, 309 men, representing 73% of bachelors and 50% of all men under 40, had been given permission to enlist.
By April 1918, 542 had joined up and, by November 1918, the company had 69% of all staff of military age serving in the forces.
The total number of those who served in the forces is not known. Seventy-two members of staff are known to have died.
View more on Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation Ltd
Ocean Marine Insurance Company Ltd
By December 1915, all eligible men had either joined or were attested under Lord Derby's Scheme - where people gave their voluntary assent to be called up if necessary. In total, 24 men served in the forces. Two members of staff are known to have died - 8% of those who served.
View more on Ocean Marine Insurance Company Ltd
Provident Accident and Guarantee Company Ltd
It is not known how many men served in the forces. Eight members of staff are known to have died.
View more on Provident Accident and Guarantee Company Ltd
Provident Mutual Life Assurance Association
It is not known how many men served in the forces. One member of staff is known to have died.
View more on Provident Mutual Life Assurance Association
Railway Passengers Assurance Company
Roll of Honour for Head Office Staff of Railway Passengers Assurance Company and The Fine Art & General Insurance Company.
By 21 September 1914, 28 staff were on active service. In total, 178 men served in the forces. Thirty-one members of staff are known to have died - 17% of those who served.
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Scottish Boiler Insurance and Engine Inspection Company Ltd
In total, eleven men served in the forces. One member of staff is known to have died.
View more on Scottish Boiler Insurance and Engine Inspection Company Ltd
Scottish Metropolitan Assurance Company Ltd
It is not known how many men served in the forces. Two members of staff are known to have died.
View more on Scottish Metropolitan Assurance Company Ltd
Scottish Union & National Insurance Company
Scottish Union & National war memorial
245 men served in the forces. Thirty-two members of staff are known to have died - 13% of those who served
View more on Scottish Union & National Insurance Company
Union Assurance Society Ltd
Union Assurance Society memorial
214 men served in the forces. Twenty-five members of staff are known to have died - 12% of those who served.
View more on Union Assurance Society Ltd
United Legal Indemnity Insurance Society Ltd
A subsidiary of Yorkshire Insurance Company Ltd. Fourteen men served in the forces. Four members of staff are known to have died - 28% of those who served.
Welsh Insurance Corporation Ltd
A subsidiary of London and Lancashire Life and General Assurance Association Ltd. Total staff at the outbreak of war was 43. Three essential staff were exempted and the remaining staff allowed to enlist. The total number of those who served in the forces in not known. Two members of staff are known to have died.
West of Scotland Insurance Office Ltd
It is not known how many men served in the forces. One member of staff is known to have died.
View more on West of Scotland Insurance Office Ltd
Yorkshire Insurance Company Ltd
Memorial erected in Head Office of Yorkshire Insurance Company, St. Helen's Square, York.
Yorkshire Insurance Company Roll of Honour memorial booklet.
Three hundred-and-fourteen men served in the forces. Forty-six members of staff are known to have died, 14% of those who served.