Open + Direct Insurance was established in 2000 and offers a full range of products including private car, motorcycle, home, taxi and commercial insurances. Employing over 160 staff it has eight high street branches and within its first seven years of trading the company has firmly established itself as one of the largest brokers in Northern Ireland.

In January 2007 Open + Direct Insurance was acquired by Equity Insurance Group, a leading player in the UK personal lines insurance market. Equity Insurance Group employs 2,000 people and provides insurance to more than a million policyholders.

Becoming part of a larger group, with over 50 years’ experience, offers many major advantages for all our customers. Its strength and size means that customers will have access to the combined resources and buying power of Equity, ensuring that they will benefit from a wider range of products, all at the competitive levels they’re used to enjoying. Also, customers can be assured that they will continue to receive the same high levels of professional service from the local staff they have dealt with in the past.

Branch networks will remain a very important means of insurance distribution for Equity and Open + Direct Insurance will continue trading under its own name through its existing offices.

This acquisition is the latest in Equity’s rapid expansion strategy to grow its branch network. The Group has invested significantly in the last two years, expanding its network almost 80 branches across the UK.

In January 2007 Equity was acquired by Insurance Australia Group (IAG), the leading general insurance group in Australia and New Zealand, with a growing presence in Asia and Europe. It is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and receives annual gross written premium of more than £2.61bn. Aside from Australia, New Zealand and the UK, IAG also operates in Asia and Europe

Open + Direct Insurance is a trading name of Equity Insurance Brokers Limited which is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Services Authority.