NatWest partners with Brightside for van insurance

NatWest has launched a new van insurance partnership with insurance broking group, Brightside. This appears to follow on from Brightside's earlier success in winning the tender for Direct Line Group's (DLG) van insurance business earlier in 2014. 

This led to a van insurance partnership with Churchill being launched in March 2014. It is worth noting that whereas the Churchill deal is underwritten by UK Insurance and administered by Brightside, the NatWest partnership uses the extended Brightside panel. 

It is understood that the NatWest product will be marketed through a number of channels, including in-branch and ultimately on the aggregators. 

Debenhams to launch new motor partnership with Southern Rock

Recent trade press coverage (Insurance Times - 15/08/14) has highlighted that Debenhams has selected Gibraltar insurer, Southern Rock, to replace Brightside as its motor insurance partner after two years with the broker. 

Much of the coverage has focused on the ongoing legal dispute between Southern Rock and Brightside, of which the insurer's Chief Executive, Arron Banks, was a co-founder. However, it is not known how successful Debenhams has been in marketing motor insurance, but one might question whether it has an obvious "brand stretch" with this product. 

The new partnership is expected to commence in December and Southern Rock's sister company, Eldon Insurance Services, will provide the operational support. 

Debenhams has other insurance partnerships with Heath Lambert (home), Insure & Go (travel), UK General (wedding), BDML (pet) and theidol.com (life).