History

Founded in 1861, initially as a friendly society, Royal London became a mutual life insurance company in 1908. Our mutual status is something our board continues to believe is in the best interests of our members and all customers Royal London Group is a specialist financial services provider. Its businesses focus on those sectors of the market which value quality propositions, operating through a number of brands:

• Scottish Life - UK pensions market
• Bright Grey - UK protection market
• Scottish Provident - UK protection market
• Royal London 360° - offshore investment markets
• RLAM - fund management
• RLAS - life and pensions administration
• Fundsdirect/Ascentric - funds supermarket; Wrap platform

Royal London also distributes life and pensions products through Abbey's national branch network within the United Kingdom..

Click to view: Royal London 360 in the Isle of Man

Key Dates

Year	Event
1835	Refuge Assurance founded in Manchester by James Proctor and a group of Manchester businessmen
1861	Royal London founded as a Friendly Society in a London coffee shop by Henry Ridge and Joseph Degge
1881	Scottish Life founded in Edinburgh as a Proprietary Company
1908	United Friendly founded in Southwark by Edwin Richard Balding Royal London becomes a Mutual
1968	Scottish Life converts from a proprietary company, becoming a Mutual
1972	Royal London begins relocation to Colchester
1987	Refuge Assurance moves into current Wilmslow site
1989	Royal London Asset Management established as separate company
1996	Scottish Life International launched in Douglas, Isle of Man United Friendly and Refuge Assurance merge to form United Assurance Group, trading as United Friendly
2000	Royal London acquires United Assurance Group (UAG) for £1.6bn
2001	Scottish Life demutualises. Royal London acquires Scottish Life for £1.1bn
2003	Bright Grey is launched. Bright Grey is a new business specialising in protection insurance.
2004	March 15 2004, Royal London Group registered office: 55 Gracechurch Street, City of London.
2007	Fundsdirect joins Royal London Group in November 2007.
2008	Acquisition of new businesses including Scottish Provident, Scottish Provident International and Phoenix Life Assurance.