| The earliest form of insurance was Marine | | | | specialised in Fire Insurance. All British insurance |
| Insurance and the first policies date back to the | | | | companies offering fire insurance were known as |
| 13th century in Genoa & Palermo. Life assurance | | | | Fire Societies and business was restricted to |
| policies commenced in the 16th century mainly for | | | | London. These insurers owned all the Fire Brigades |
| people between 12 and 45 and the first traceable | | | | and the last fire brigade to come under municipal |
| policy dates back to 1588. The premium was the | | | | control was Worcester in 1929. The naming and |
| same whether you were 13 or 44! How about | | | | numbering of streets was very haphazard |
| that? However it really took off with the | | | | until1840, which was over 100 years after Building |
| establishment of the Society of Widows & | | | | & Contents insurance started, until the |
| Orphans in 1699 over 100 years later. | | | | introduction of the Postal System. Before then |
| In 1530 there were 30 sworn insurance brokers | | | | insurance companies attached metal plates or fire |
| producing policies underwritten by London | | | | marks to houses they had insured. |
| merchants. In 1712 this became known as Lloyds | | | | Moving on to the present day most personal |
| as brokers used to meet in Edward Lloyds coffee | | | | insurance are taken out to prevent properties |
| shop where information was exchanged. The | | | | being repossessed in the event of long term |
| earliest known life assurance policy was issued in | | | | illness/injury or to replace the income should the |
| 1588 and was for those aged between 12 and 45. | | | | main breadwinner die prematurely. Not leaving a |
| The first Death in Service policy was started in | | | | family behind that would probably run into financial |
| 1852 by Provident Clerks Mutual Benefit Society | | | | difficulties is a very important aspect of financial |
| who started business in 1846 and later became | | | | planning as the lump sum from an insurance policy |
| part of General Accident. Norwich Union | | | | can be invested to produce the income that has |
| commenced business in 1797 and was known as | | | | been lost. |
| Norwich Union Fire Insurance Society and it | | | | |