Commercial Union Assurance Co Ltd

The company was established in response to premium increases following the great Tooley Street fire of June 1861 which raged for nearly two days having started in a London hemp warehouse and was not fully extinguished for a fortnight. It was provisionally called Commercial Union Fire Insurance Company and established temporary offices at 34 Gracechurch Street, London.

The company first transacted fire insurance adding life assurance in 1862 and marine in 1863. By 1862 it was also offering fire insurance overseas. The first major loss faced by the company was under a policy taken out by George Dowlers a Brass founder of Birmingham in 1862. In 1900 it commenced burglary and accident insurance followed in 1901 by plate glass and 1905 by trustee and executor business.