Asda rolls out insurance offer
Wal-Mart expanding into financial services
September 29 2003
Asda is to offer home, travel and motor insurance in all its 263 stores by mid-October following a successful trial.
The supermarlet operator has also launched s dedicated web site for shoppers to take out policies on-line.
The move comes as Asda parent company Wal-Mart expands into financial services by offering customers money orders, cheque printing, money transfers, a shopping card and a Wal-Mart MasterCard. The provision of insurance in the UK is a first for the world’s biggest retailer.
Customers will now be able to pick up home, travel and motor insurance leaflets in the store and at the checkout, and get a quote by phone or online.
Asda is promising the same service and every day low prices it offers in store, and has teamed up with insurer Norwich Union to provide the products.
David Rutley, Asda director of financial services, said: “With a very real focus on every day low price and our ethos of putting the customer first we believe we can make a very real difference to the insurance sector.”
Graham Boffey, partnerships director at Norwich Union, added: “This roll-out is fantastic news, our pilot has been a real success and together with ASDA we are now looking forward to offering these products to the rest of the country.”
Norwich Union is providing a dedicated team of more than 100 at a call centre in Perth, Scotland to handle all the Asda business.
