Allied Dunbar salesforce to sell Eagle Star policies

Allied Dunbar is using its 4,000-strong salesforce to test the sale of motor and home insurance products of its sister company Eagle Star.

The British American Financial Services (BAFS) life assurer also plans to sell the Peps and unit trust products on behalf of another sister company, Threadneedle Asset Manage- ment (TAM) later this year.

The move is the first indication that BAFS intends to integrate the sale and distribution of its products after an internal review of the three brands earlier this year.

Last month chief executive Sandy Leitch said that there would be a four-month review of its general insurance business. He said that the review was intended to find, “how to secure more scale and look at growth prospects internationally”.

Allied Dunbar marketing services director David Sims says the trial is part of a strategic shift by the insurance giant to enter alliances with financial services companies to fully utilise its salesforce.

As part of this shift the pensions and life giant’s salesforce has already begun selling PPP’s long-term care products.

BAFS formed in July this year as an umbrella for all the financial service divisions. Its parent company BAT Industries ordered a review of the financial side of the business last year, and planned to merge the companies (MW November 3 1995).

Marketing Week revealed that BAFS then chief executive George Greener had planned a full-scale merger of the marketing operations for the three brands. Agencies Grey Advertising and Grey Integrated worked on plans to develop a brand portfolio for the three companies.

The news comes as Eagle Star launches its first major advertising campaign through Ogilvy & Mather and Grey Integrated since the review.

The 4m blitz pushes its home and motor insurance. The TV ads feature a series of “mundane” pastimes such as playing table football, chess and driving on the motorway.