Hastings Insurance
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| File:Hastings Insurance Logo.png | |
| Company type | Public limited company |
|---|---|
| LSE: HSTG | |
| Industry | Insurance |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Headquarters | Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, United Kingdom |
Key people | Mike Fairey, (Chairman) Gary Hoffman, (CEO) |
| Revenue | £481.0 million (2015)[1] |
| £126.1 million (2015)[1] | |
| £2.3 million (2015)[1] | |
| Website | www |
Hastings Insurance is a UK personal lines insurance broker servicing customers online, by phone and by branch. The company provides car, bike, van and home insurance, as well as a range of ancillary products and services such as breakdown cover, personal accident, substitute vehicle and key and legal cover. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.
History
The company was established, based on business plan prepared by David Gundlach and Andrew Bowen, as "Hastings Direct" in 1997.[2] It was acquired by Insurance Australia Group in 2006[3] and then by its management in 2009.[4] In 2011 the company announced that 150 new posts would be created, with the first 60 to be recruited in January in the Bexhill, Hastings, Eastbourne, Brighton and Hove areas.[5] Goldman Sachs acquired a 50% interest in the company in 2013.[6] The company was the subject of an initial public offering in October 2015.[6]
Operations
The company trades under the Hastings Direct, Hastings Premier, Hastings Essential, SmartMiles, People's Choice and insurePink brands.[7][8]
In 2012, the company launched a usage-based insurance product under the Hastings Direct SmartMiles brand. The SmartMiles product requires a telematics device to be fitted to the insured vehicle.[9]
The company is known for its mascot, Harry Hastings, an animated figure dressed in armour from the Battle of Hastings in 1066.[10]
Based in Bexhill-on-Sea, the company is one of the largest employers on the South Coast. The company also has a second call centre in Newmarket, Suffolk and has recently opened a third call centre in Leicester.[11]
Sponsorship
The company sponsored the Eastbourne International tennis tournament between 2003[12] and 2007[13] in a deal worth £350,000 per year.[14]
References
- ^ a b c "Preliminary Results for year ended 31 December 2015". Hastings Insurance. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
- ^ "Hastings Van Insurance". Customer Care. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
- ^ "Selfless Portrait: Man Leaves $150M to City of Elkhart". Indianapolis Monthly. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
- ^ "Hastings and Advantage MBO team speak out". www.postonline.co.uk. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
- ^ "Hastings Direct creates 150 jobs". The Recruiter. 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
- ^ a b "Hastings shares trade below IPO price". 12 October 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
- ^ "Hastings Direct".
- ^ "People's Choice".
- ^ "Hastings Direct gives details of telematics trial | Latest News | Insurance Times". m.insurancetimes.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-01-29.
- ^ "Harry Hastings and Stephen Seagull return in Hastings Direct TV ad series". The Drum. 6 March 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
- ^ "Hastings Direct set to grow workforce in Leicester". Leicester Mercury. 6 May 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
- ^ "Hastings Direct signs two-year tennis sponsorship deal". BrandRepublic. 10 March 2003. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
- ^ "Hastings Direct quits as Ladies' Tennis Sponsor". Eastbourne Herald. 2 February 2007. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
- ^ "Tennis bosses serve blow to Eastbourne". The Angus. 25 June 2007. Retrieved 20 June 2011.