Refuge Assurance

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The Refuge Assurance Building, Manchester - the company's head office between 1895 and 1987

The Refuge Assurance Company was a life insurance and pensions company in England. It was founded by James Proctor and a group of Manchester businessmen in 1835.^[1] From 1895 until 1987, its head office was the famous Refuge Assurance Building on Oxford Street in central Manchester, now the Palace Hotel.^[2] In 1987, the company decided to move out of the city centre to new, purpose-built, offices in the grounds of Fulshaw Hall in Wilmslow, around 12 miles south of the old Refuge Building. In October 1996, the Refuge Assurance Company merged with United Friendly to form the United Assurance Group (UAG). ^[3] After disppointing performances following the merger,^[4] the United Assurance Group was first approached by Britannic Assurance in November 1999, and then by Royal London Mutual Insurance in February 2000.^[5] Following succesful talks, Royal London took over UAG for £1.6 billion.^[1]