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SALFORD-BASED Swinton Insurance is to close 40 branches across the country – putting 268 jobs at risk.
The insurance giant told staff about the shock move yesterday morning.
Roles at risk include area district managers, customer service managers and customer service assistants.
Swinton bosses say the decision has been taken in response to the huge shift in customers buying insurance online, rather than visiting a branch.
Fewer than 10 per cent of the firm’s customers use its branches.
The nationwide insurer is based at Embankment West Tower, just over the Manchester border into Salford.
Swinton would not confirm which branches will shut, but said 550 employees will not be affected by the closures.
No jobs at the company’s Salford HQ, where around 1,000 staff are based, are understood to be at risk.
Greater Manchester has just one Swinton branch, in Wigan. A handful of jobs there at thought to be at risk.
A spokesperson for Swinton said: “Our distribution model continues to evolve so that we meet the changing needs of our customers in an effective and efficient way.
“While these changes are always difficult for colleagues, especially those who are directly impacted by the proposals, they are vital if we are to remain competitive in a challenging insurance market. “At the same time, we continue to invest in the business. This includes a £35m investment in the successful introduction of a new IT system to enhance our digital capabilities, and an increased marketing spend this year of £20m to improve our brand awareness.” Staff moved into the newly-built office development on the banks of the River Irwell, overlooking Manchester Cathedral, last year. Last September Swinton Group embarked on a new £3.7m multi-media campaign to relaunch its insurance brand with marketing director, Anne Kirk, saying it had invested £45m in ‘technology and digital capability.’ The company’s financial results for the year ending December 2016 seemed positive, with pre-tax profits of £11.5m on a turnover of £222.8m. Swinton spokesman