Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1954-1982 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
7.52 linear metres
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Vehicle and General Insurance Company Ltd was incorporated in September 1923 as a private company with the power to carry on insurance business. It went public in February 1961 and initiated a sales policy offering a high rate of No claims discount to careful private motorists. Expansion was rapid - a number of subsidiary companies were purchased (see ACC/2670/1126 for a detailed chart) and it was estimated that by 1970 they insured about 10 per cent of private motorists in the United Kingdom.
Originally operating from Rayners Lane, Middlesex, the firm moved its headquarters to Northwood, Middlesex and then, in May 1968, to Bushey, Hertfordshire. In 1963 a branch office had opened in Scotland - by 1971 there were ten such offices throughout the country.
On March 1, 1971 the Directors announced their intention of petitioning the court for the compulsory winding up of Vehicle and General along with five of its subsidiaries - Automobile and General Insurance Co. Ltd., Transport Indemnity Insurance Co. Ltd, and World Auxiliary Insurance Corporation Ltd. The Winding Up orders were issued on 22 March although World Anxiliary was granted an adjournment.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 ACC/2670 1954-1982 Collection 7.52 linear metres Vehicle and General Insurance Co Ltd
Vehicle and General Insurance Company Ltd was incorporated in September 1923 as a private company with the power to carry on insurance business. It went public in February 1961 and initiated a sales policy offering a high rate of No claims discount to careful private motorists. Expansion was rapid - a number of subsidiary companies were purchased (see ACC/2670/1126 for a detailed chart) and it was estimated that by 1970 they insured about 10 per cent of private motorists in the United Kingdom.
Originally operating from Rayners Lane, Middlesex, the firm moved its headquarters to Northwood, Middlesex and then, in May 1968, to Bushey, Hertfordshire. In 1963 a branch office had opened in Scotland - by 1971 there were ten such offices throughout the country.
On March 1, 1971 the Directors announced their intention of petitioning the court for the compulsory winding up of Vehicle and General along with five of its subsidiaries - Automobile and General Insurance Co. Ltd., Transport Indemnity Insurance Co. Ltd, and World Auxiliary Insurance Corporation Ltd. The Winding Up orders were issued on 22 March although World Anxiliary was granted an adjournment.
Gifted to the archives in 1989. ACC/2670.
Records of Vehicle and General Insurance Co Ltd, including financial material, correspondence, minutes, papers relating to stock, and journals. Records of subsidiary companies including Automobile and General Insurance Co Ltd; General and Commercial Motor Insurance Co Ltd; Metropolitan General Insurance Co Ltd; Transport Indemnity Insurance Co Ltd; General and Commercial Insurance Co Ltd; Vehicle and General Investment Services Ltd; Ecole Europe (England) Ltd; Arthur Edwards (Insurance) Ltd; J.M. Horsley Ltd; Talkwax Ltd and Wray and Co.
Records of Coopers and Lybrand, the liquidator, including Committee of Inspection minutes; general minutes; statement of affairs for Vehicle and General Insurance Co Ltd; statement of affairs for Automobile and General Insurance Co Ltd; statement of affairs for General and Commercial Motor Insurance Co Ltd; statement of affairs for Metropolitan General Insurance Co Ltd and statement of affairs for Transport Indemnity Insurance Co Ltd; correspondence files; finance records; stock records; and papers relating to creditors.
The records have been sorted into the following groups: Vehicle and General Insurance Co Ltd (ACC/2670/001-034); Subsidiary Companies (ACC/2670/035-058); Liquidator (ACC/2670/059-125)
Available for general access.
Copyright rests with the City of London.
English
Fit
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. July to October 2009 Vehicle and General Insurance Co Ltd J.M. Horsley Ltd , insurance company Talkwax Ltd , insurance company Metropolitan General Insurance Co Ltd General and Commercial Motor Insurance Co Ltd Automobile and General Insurance Co Ltd General and Commercial Insurance Co Ltd Transport Indemnity Insurance Co Ltd Company archives Finance Insurance Financial service industries Service industries Insurance services People Agents People by occupation Insurance agents Insurance brokers Business records Corporate minutes Financial records Transport Vehicles Motor vehicles Information sources Documents Insurance records Insurance policies Arthur Edwards (Insurance) Ltd Ecole Europe (England) Ltd , insurance company Wray and Co , insurance company Vehicle and General Investment Services Ltd
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Gifted to the archives in 1989. ACC/2670.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of Vehicle and General Insurance Co Ltd, including financial material, correspondence, minutes, papers relating to stock, and journals. Records of subsidiary companies including Automobile and General Insurance Co Ltd; General and Commercial Motor Insurance Co Ltd; Metropolitan General Insurance Co Ltd; Transport Indemnity Insurance Co Ltd; General and Commercial Insurance Co Ltd; Vehicle and General Investment Services Ltd; Ecole Europe (England) Ltd; Arthur Edwards (Insurance) Ltd; J.M. Horsley Ltd; Talkwax Ltd and Wray and Co.
Records of Coopers and Lybrand, the liquidator, including Committee of Inspection minutes; general minutes; statement of affairs for Vehicle and General Insurance Co Ltd; statement of affairs for Automobile and General Insurance Co Ltd; statement of affairs for General and Commercial Motor Insurance Co Ltd; statement of affairs for Metropolitan General Insurance Co Ltd and statement of affairs for Transport Indemnity Insurance Co Ltd; correspondence files; finance records; stock records; and papers relating to creditors.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
The records have been sorted into the following groups: Vehicle and General Insurance Co Ltd (ACC/2670/001-034); Subsidiary Companies (ACC/2670/035-058); Liquidator (ACC/2670/059-125)
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Available for general access.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright rests with the City of London.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English