The Guardian name was established in 1821. Originally Guardian Fire & Life, the Company was renamed as Guardian Assurance in 1902. In the mid 1960's, Guardian Assurance established a new base at Lytham St Annes in Lancashire for its expanding Life and Pensions business. In 1968 the company merged with Royal Exchange Assurance to form the Guardian Royal Exchange Group (GRE).
In 1999, the Life and Pensions businesses of GRE (which included Guardian Financial Services) along with the Guardian name were acquired by Aegon UK, part of the global Aegon N.Vgroup. Guardian Financial Services is the collective trading name for Guardian Assurance plc, Guardian Linked Life Assurance Ltd and Guardian Pensions Management Ltd.
Today, as part of AEGON UK, over 200 staff continue to provide a service to over a million customers from our office in Lytham St Annes. As well as policies underwritten and issued by Guardian companies, we administer individual Life and Pensions policies which were issued by:
- Licenses and General (acquired by Guardian Assurance in 1956)
- Caledonian Insurance Company (founded in Edinburgh in 1805 and acquired by Guardian Assurance in 1957)
- Royal Exchange Assurance (granted legal status by Royal Charter in 1720 and merged with Guardian Assurance in 1968)
- Atlas Assurance Company (founded in 1808 and merged with Royal Exchange Assurance in 1959)
