In 1813 the company started to offer life assurance and extended what had been a primarily London-based business to the rest of the UK and overseas. In the same year, the company dropped the “fire” part of its name and variously described itself in advertisements and in its policies as the Union Assurance Office, the Union Assurance Company, the Union Society and the Union Assurance Society.
Union Assurance continued to grow and in 1888 it extended its overseas and fire business. By 1891 the company was also transacting life business on the continent and in 1904 an accident department was established following the acquisition of the Scottish Alliance Insurance Company. In the wake of the disastrous San Francisco earthquake in 1906, the company paid out to policy holders total claims of over £800,000. The company struggled to absorb such a large pay out and was subsequently acquired by the Commercial Union Assurance Co. the following year.
