Insurance giant Aviva has started the new year with 65 new employees taking up roles in its claims handling operation at Broadland Business Park.

Eastern Daily Press: Aviva's claims department at Willow House, Broadland Business Park, Norwich. Trainee claims handlers are shown an accident car to help them understand damage that can be caused so they can relate it to future claims they may handle. Picture by SIMON FINLAY.Aviva's claims department at Willow House, Broadland Business Park, Norwich. Trainee claims handlers are shown an accident car to help them understand damage that can be caused so they can relate it to future claims they may handle. Picture by SIMON FINLAY.

The roles are part of a larger recruitment drive in Norwich which will see the insurer take on a total of 400 new staff.

The move comes after Aviva announced it was bringing its motor claims departments under one roof at Willow House in Norwich, closing and reducing offices in the north of England.

The insurer – which already employs 5,000 people in Norfolk – is gradually transforming Willow House into a centre of excellence, creating one of the biggest motor claims handlings sites in the country.

Since August last year 280 people have been recruited into the motor claims team in Norwich, with some relocating from the Manchester City Centre office.

Gary Summers, head of motor claims, said: 'We've had a great start to the new year.

'Aviva is synonymous with Norwich – we like the heritage and we like the fact that people are proud of working for Aviva.

'Last year Aviva announced that Norwich was one of its core sites in the UK – this is recognition of the great employee base we have here. 'We have a great history here and our new Motor Claims Centre of Excellence builds on this.'

The business will continue recruiting more people into the Norwich motor claims team up until spring this year.

Mr Summers said: 'We are looking for people who are passionate about providing an excellent service to our customers and who have the ability to investigate and deal with a motor claim from beginning to end. 'They may be experienced Claims Handlers already or have just left school, looking for a career change or looking to return to work.'

The recruitment drive comes after Aviva announced a UK-wide restructuring in June 2015.

The company said it needed to cut 1,500 jobs and find £225m worth of annual savings by the end of 2017 following its takeover of rival insurer Friends Life.

Aviva sealed a £5.6bn deal for Friends Life in April 2015, heralding one of the biggest takeovers in the insurance industry for decades.

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