Norwich Union, the UK’s largest insurance company, has been around since 1797. Originally the [deep breath…] “Norwich Union Society for the Insurance of Houses, Stock and Merchandise from Fire”, thankfully along the years it has become quite simply “Norwich Union”.

If you utter these two words to almost any home or car owner in the UK, they will know who you are talking about, which begs the question, “why are you changing your name?”. Despite several TV adverts telling people of this change, I think it is going to be one of those things where you say “Aviva, it’s that company that used to be called Norwich Union” although I suppose it’s still shorter than their original name all them years ago!

Aviva was an adopted name in 2002 by the merger of CGU plc and Norwich Union which took place two years earlier. The UK continued trading under the Norwich Union name but everywhere else it would be known as Aviva. Aviva’s growth to the world’s 5th largest insurer has meant that the decision to drop the UK trading name to become the same global brand was to take place today.

I’m sure that the name Norwich Union will still be unofficially used for many years to come but from now on we shall try our best to call you Aviva!