[Andrew Willis]

A SPECIALIST insurer run by an American giant is hacking back its business in Britain - putting 725 jobs at risk.
The entire sales operation of COMBINED INSURANCE, which flogs health and accident cover to everyone from window cleaners to sport stars, is being pulled in the UK.

Up to 325 staff face redundancy and 400 independent sales agents "will be impacted" by the restructuring.

Many agents were stood down for four weeks in October before being offered a loyalty bonus to stay on as recently as mid December.

On ex-worker told Sun City yesterday: "I got a call on Wednesday night from someone still there. They simply said, 'Combined's gone belly-up, it's finished'." Some last night claimed rugby league stars have policies currently active with the firm.

A company spokesman refused to comment yesterday - but hours later a terse statement read: "Combined Insurance in the UK is proposing to restructure its operations."

The firm has 300,000 policies in force across the UK, handled by staff in Kingston, South West London, and Wilmslow, Cheshire. It insisted all customers would still be looked after.

But a spokeswoman said the level of skeleton staff left in Britain was unclear.

Combined, which brags of its "commitment to excellence", was bought for £1.6billion in 2008 by US giant ACE LIMITED from AON.

Ace, which has offices in 50 countries worldwide, announced bumper quarterly profits of £620million on Wednesday - up five per cent.

The company's chief executive Evan Greenberg told Wall Street: "Ace had a very good fourth quarter and a strong finish to an excellent year."

Combined's demise is another blow to the insurance market.

Dutch-run AEGON is busy shedding hundreds of jobs three years after spending a fortune to sponsor British tennis.

ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND is axing 2,000 jobs in its insurance business, which runs CHURCHILL, DIRECT LINE, PRIVILEGE and GREEN FLAG.

[Lee GLS]

i was with them for 6 years, then they put their premiums up, and cut the payouts, so as soon as i changed to wfp i cancelled my cover with them.

[scud]

  I held a policy with them that covered me for my motorcycling activities, but ended up cancelling it when the third salesman knocked on my door unnannounced to try and sell me more cover.

  I can't abide people knocking my door at tea time with my family.

[window11]

they r crooks, i was with them. stay clear more thatn stay clear from leights

[Paul Coleman]

  I held a policy with them that covered me for my motorcycling activities, but ended up cancelling it when the third salesman knocked on my door unnannounced to try and sell me more cover.

  I can't abide people knocking my door at tea time with my family.

Quite agree.
Only window cleaners should be doing things like that  .

Are current policies going to be honoured until they lapse?

Or is it a case of you will no longer be covered and will lose your premium?

[groundhog]

they r crooks, i was with them. stay clear more thatn stay clear from leights

Very true, I worked for them briefly in the early nineties and the first thing my manager told me was that the policies were not worth the paper they are printed on, and he was right!!

[Mike #1]

i found the policy crap i now use lifesearch ins broker got cover for £20 a month pays out  £800 a month until i am 60yrs old  if needed great company used them for years now

[Londoner]

A lot of these policies are rubbish anyway. Fine while you are paying but as soon as something happens and you want to make a claim, then you find out what they are really like.