Brit Insurance is an international general insurance and reinsurance
group specialising in commercial insurance. It is a financially strong public company
listed on the London Stock Exchange and in 2009 had annual gross premiums of £1.7billion.
The group writes a diverse portfolio of over 70 classes of insurance and reinsurance
offering worldwide protection. It aims to deliver an excellent service to its clients
- through the range of cover it offers, its underwriters' expertise and its specialist,
market-leading claims teams.
Brit has been building its involvement in cricket over the past six years
- from its inaugural sponsorship of Surrey County Cricket Club
and the Brit Insurance Oval in 2004, to its involvement as Insurance
Partner of the Test Match Grounds, broadcast sponsor of test match
cricket on Sky Sports and a Senior Commercial Partner of the Professional Cricketers'
Association.
Since January 2010 Brit Insurance has been the Principal Team Sponsor
of England Cricket, a partnership that will last
for an initial four-year period. As a result, Brit Insurance
branding now appears on all England teams' shirts and kit.
Financial ratings
Brit Insurance is financially strong. Brit Insurance Limited's financial strength
ratings were affirmed in 2009 by Fitch Ratings as 'A' (Strong) and A M Best as 'A'
(Excellent). Syndicate 2987 benefits from the Lloyd's Market ratings: also 'A+'
from Fitch and 'A' from A.M. Best.
Corporate Responsibility
Brit Insurance is included in the FTSE4Good Index Series
which identifies companies that meet stringent social, ethical and environmental
criteria and follow responsible business practice.
Brit is committed to supporting local and international communities.
This includes making available up to 0.5% of the Group's pre-tax profit for charitable
and community giving each year, capped at £1m, and building a reserve to support
ongoing charitable giving in future years.
The Group promotes staff involvement through a matched fund raising scheme,
and through an employee volunteering scheme. This grants every
employee two additional days of paid leave a year to volunteer their time through
schemes offered by charity partners. In 2009 over £53,000 raised by staff
or donated through the payroll was matched on a £1 for £1 basis.
Brit Insurance has a long-term partnership with the British Red Cross
and in 2009 gave the charity £250,000. Three of the key aims of the partnership
are to help UK communities be better prepared for, and cope with emergencies; provide
'Emergency Response Unit' vehicles and vital equipment; and enable the British Red
Cross to train people in first aid and emergency skills.
In addition, Brit Insurance actively supports Surrey County Cricket Club's
community programmes. In 2009 it contributed to initiatives that
included Surrey's playground markings scheme and the Brit Insurance Howzat Education
Programme and Coaching. The funding provides children and young people
with cricket and educational activities throughout inner London and Surrey.
The Group also supports the Lloyd's Community Programme and in
2009 again donated a day of play at the Brit Insurance Oval to enable 180 children
from Tower Hamlets schools to enjoy cricket coaching and a tournament.
In connection with the Brit Insurance Design Awards, the Group
supported the Design Museum's education department across a number of activities
were devised to help children, students and teachers develop skills in design and
technology.
During 2009 over 8,000 people benefited from Brit Insurance's community sponsorships.
Brit Insurance made substantial contributions, both financially and in staff time
and expertise, to many projects relating to youth, education and disability, and
which complement the Group's commercials sponsorships. No donations were made to
any political organisation.
In May 2010 Brit Insurance formed a four year partnership with Chance to Shine,
one of the biggest grass-roots sports development programmes ever undertaken in
Britain, which is run by The Cricket Foundation.
Brit Insurance will support the charity's ten year campaign to educate two million
children through cricket. The campaign will reach one third of Britain's state schools
by 2015. From today, the core campaign will be referred to as "Chance to Shine
supported by Brit Insurance".
The programme works in tandem with the national curriculum, drawing together people
from all cultures and backgrounds, particularly inner cities.
