Bristol insurance firm acquired by global group

DAS UK, a legal protection insurance business based in Bristol, has been acquired by international insurance group ARAG Group. The company has been acquired from German-headquartered ERGO Group’s property and casualty insurance subsidiary ERGO Versicherung AG.

The company will initially remain independent from ARAG plc, ARAG Group’s existing UK managing general agent. Following the deal, a new executive management committee (EMC) for ARAG UK will be set up, comprising three members from DAS UK, three from ARAG plc and one from the wider ARAG Group.

The EMC will be led by ARAG plc Managing Director Tony Buss as Chief Executive, while former DAS UK CEO Tony Coram will become Chief Operating Officer. DAS UK and ARAG plc collectively represent approximately £190 million in gross written premium (GWP) and, as of 2022, had around 800 employees between them.

Dr Renko Dirksen, speaker of the board of management of ARAG SE, said: "This is an important moment for our group as we continue to deliver against our strategy for growth and expansion in key international markets.”

"This now makes the UK our largest operation outside of Germany. I am pleased we have been able to establish a balanced EMC for ARAG UK and, while both companies will continue running operations separately for now, we will gradually work towards having both companies operate under the ARAG brand."

Tony Buss added that the deal would enable the firms to “share knowledge and skills, and to bring new ideas, products, and services to our customers, including further digitalisation of our offering.”


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