Fire Offices' Committee , Fire Offices' Committee (Foreign)

Offices transacting fire insurance business overseas had been meeting since at least 1859 (see Ms 18862/1). By 1869, 29 foreign fire insurance tariffs were in operation, and the participating offices formed the Fire Offices' Committee (Foreign) for supervising rates. Co-operation assisted British fire offices in their development of overseas markets where they had problems with competition from local companies and the novelty and complexity of overseas risks, and had to deal with legislation by foreign governments (see Ms 29489). During the 20th century, the growth of foreign business was such that several committees were established by the Fire Offices' Committee (Foreign) to protect and promote the interests of companies transacting business in particular parts of the world. These were: the London Continental Fire Insurance Committee set up in 1920 (see CLC/B/017-21); the London Australasian Insurance Committee in 1925 (see CLC/B/017-20); the London West Africa Insurance Committee in 1958 (see CLC/B/017-25); the London South African Insurance Committee in 1966 (see CLC/B/017-24); and the Fire Offices' Committee of Ireland in 1975 (see CLC/B/017-13). The interests of some of these committees extended beyond fire insurance to accident, life and marine insurance.