September 2011
First Assist
On 27 September 2011, Canaccord Genuity clients, Barclays Private Equity ("BPE") and management (together the principal shareholders of FirstAssist Group Holdings Limited ("FirstAssist" or the "Company"), announced the sale of FirstAssist to Cigna International Corporation ("Cigna") for £71mlion.
FirstAssist is a leading UK white label insurance provider with a focus on delivering travel, budget health, protection, before-the-event legal expenses and small business insurance for major financial institutions, affinity organisations and retailers to provide to their own customers. The Company employs 480 people at its headquarters in Sutton, Surrey and offices in Plymouth and Bournemouth and in its financial year to 31 December 2010 reported operating profit of £5.8m on net earned premiums of £153m.
Canaccord Genuity acted as financial advisor to Barclays Private Equity and management.