General Accident, properly General Accident Fire and Life Assurance Corporation plc, but commonly known by the shorter title, was a large insurance business based in Perth, Scotland. It merged with Commercial Union in 1998 to form CGU plc.
History
The Norie-Miller years
The Employers' Liability Act 1880 (43 & 44 Vict. c. 42) opened a new area of insurance and one of the many companies formed to serve that market was formed in Perth, Scotland, in 1885. The General Accident and Employers’ Liability Assurance Association was launched by local businessmen with a capital of only £5,000 and its main object was to provide local farmers and others with accident insurance. Its first policy was written in March 1886 and at its opening AGM it reported premium income of £2,700. Francis Norie-Miller was then appointed as secretary and manager at the age of 27: he had previously been the assistant manager of Mercantile Accident of Glasgow. His leadership spanned over half a century, remaining as managing director until 1939 and chairman until 1944; during that time, he took General Accident from a small local firm to a major international insurer.[1]