News

London, UK, July 29, 2011 – Willis Group Holdings (NYSE: WSH), the global insurance broker, today announced that Willis Networks, its alliance with regional, independent brokers in the UK, and Broker Direct Plc, the insurance management and underwriting agency, through its commercial insurance solution OurNetwork, have entered into a strategic alliance which will allow their respective members access to the services and facilities of the other. The arrangement is effective immediately.

Willis will work with Broker Direct to offer Willis Networks members access to Broker Direct personal lines and niche services, while the 280 members of OurNetwork will have the opportunity to tap into exclusive services and commercial products offered by Willis N�, the broker's network for smaller independent brokers.

Currently, Broker Direct trades over £110m of personal lines products and the 111 members that make up Willis Network place over £400m of commercial lines premium.

Terry Stanley, Broker Direct CEO said, "Since forming OurNetwork, we have continually looked at ways in which to extend the offering to members. This arrangement gives us access to the impressive range of tried and tested products and services which Willis Networks members have enjoyed for some time. It is hard to think of a better way to give our brokers such an immediate competitive advantage."

Sara Fardon, Willis Networks Managing Director added, "Working together, our individual network strengths will be greatly enhanced, and through this alliance we can offer all our members access to stronger business support and exposure to a much wider product portfolio, which we plan to expand by jointly developing new solutions."