Our history

The name AXA isn’t an acronym, but was chosen because it’s short, memorable and has a consistent meaning in any language, anywhere in the world.

The AXA Group has a long and distinguished history, stretching all the way back to the 18th Century. After a succession of mergers‚ acquisitions and name changes involving some of the leading insurance companies in the UK and around the world‚ the name AXA was first introduced in 1985.

2010

A renewed focus meant that AXA UK disposed of a large part of its Life businesses.  

Noting the changes in the UK life industry, including regulatory and distribution developments, and following a review of its operations, AXA took the strategic decision to strengthen its focus on its wealth management, insurance and healthcare businesses along with Bluefin. AXA sold its traditional life and pensions, protection and group pensions business in a deal worth £2.75 billion to Resolution.

Paul Evans was appointed AXA UK CEO.

2009

AXA’s strategy in the UK took a leap forward with the launch of a new brand.  

In January AXA launched Bluefin an advisory and broking business formed out of the acquired brokers, IFA and related businesses, into the marketplace. Bluefin is split into two limited companies: Bluefin Insurance Group (BIG) which provides professional insurance broking and risk management services, and Bluefin Advisory Services (BAS) which comprises of Corporate Consulting and Wealth Management divisions.

In late 2009, AXA brought all its wealth businesses (AXA Winterthur Wealth Management, AXA Distribution Services – Elevate, AXA Isle of Man, AXA Life Europe and Architas) together to form a single business unit, AXA Wealth.

Further afield, AXA strengthened its position in Central and Eastern Europe with the acquisition of minority interests held by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in AXA's Hungarian, Czech and Polish subsidiaries. AXA announced a proposed change in its corporate governance structure from a dual to a unitary board to support a new stage in its development.

2008

Growth and expansion continued apace with several acquisitions made which strengthened AXA’s international and UK profiles.

In March AXA acquired SBJ Group Limited, which was later incorporated into Bluefin Advisory Services, to enhance its distribution capability. In July AXA created Architas, a specialist investment company dedicated to providing multi-manager propositions, which is now a top five player in its market. In October AXA created its new wealth business, AXA Winterthur Wealth Management.

2007

2007 brought AXA a number of strategically important acquisitions which strengthened its broker operation as well as its consumer insurance operations.  These acquisitions included Swiftcover, ICAS International Holdings Limited and The Davis Group

2006

After nearly half a century during which Sun Life was represented at offices in Cheapside, London, AXA moved its registered head office for the UK to 5 Old Broad Street, London.

AXA continued its growth strategy with the acquisition of Winterthur Wealth Management, a market leader in personal pensions and investments distributed mainly through third party Independent Financial Advisers.

Nicolas Moreau was appointed UK CEO.

2000

On 12 July AXA completed the acquisition of a minority shareholding in Sun Life and Provincial Holdings, which was consequently delisted from the London Stock Exchange.

On 29 September, the name of the holding company changed to AXA UK plc, which it retains to this day.

1999

In February, Sun Life and Provincial Holdings announced a public offer for GRE. The acquisition was completed in May.

1998

GRE acquired the PPP healthcare group, a major brand in the marketplace that would go on to become the second largest provider of private medical insurance in the UK, as well as expanding internationally.

AXA sponsored the FA Cup in the UK, generating significant brand awareness among football fans and the general public.

1996

AXA was listed on the New York Stock Exchange and Sun Life and Provincial Holdings (SLPH) was listed on the London Stock Exchange.

On 12 November the AXA-UAP merger was announced. SLPH was now part of the global AXA Group, becoming its major subsidiary in the UK.

1991

AXA took over The Equitable, the North American life assurance company.

1981 – 1990

In the eighties the AXA name was created and the AXA Université was launched.  The decade also saw AXA merge with Compagnie du Midi and trade on the Paris Stock Exchange.  UAP also became a major shareholder in Sun Life, in the UK.  In 1990 AXA Insurance was formed in Cardiff.

1901 - 1980

The first 80 years of the 20th Century saw the first in a series of mergers which would eventually create AXA.

During this period the Guardian Royal Exchange Group (GRE) was formed through a merger of Guardian Assurance and Royal Exchange Assurance. In the same year, 1968, the Union des Assurances de Paris (UAP) was created.

1700 - 1900

The period spanning the 18th and 19th Centuries saw the creation of many of the companies which later combined to form parts of the global AXA Group.

In 1720 Royal Exchange Assurance, the world's first marine insurer, was granted legal status. Life and fire insurance were quickly added to its portfolio, whilst later, as a result of the industrial revolution, new types of insurance such as accident and casualty were added.