Jobs boost for Perth with Aviva move.

Company plans to centralise its property operation at Pitheavlis site

A restructuring by insurance giant Aviva will create jobs in Perth, it was revealed yesterday.

While the announcement that the company is to centralise all its UK property claims at the Pitheavlis site in Perth is good news for the city, it comes at a cost elsewhere as 120 jobs will be lost when their Southend office closes next year.

How many jobs will be created in Perth as a result of the move has yet to be quantified but Perth and North Perthshire MP Pete Wishart welcomed the news which he said was a vote of confidence in the local operation.

“This is a welcome development that demonstrates Aviva’s commitment to continue to invest and develop in its Perth operation,” said Mr Wishart.

“Having all its UK property claims based on the Pitheavlis site is good for jobs throughout Perthshire and good for the city of Perth. Aviva remains one of the biggest private sector employers in Perth and even with the challenges of digitisation and the increase of online claims, job opportunities are still being created.

“I will be meeting Aviva’s management in Westminster next week and hope to further explore their plans for the Perth site.”

The Aviva offices at Pitheavlis in Perth have a long connection with the insurance industry, as they were built as the world headquarters of General Accident.

The company’s Southend office will close by the end of May 2018 when Aviva is proposing to reduce the number of people in its claims field team.

Nowadays, new technology enables customers to make a claim when and how they want and this, coupled with Aviva’s ability to assess routine claims remotely, means fewer people are required in the field.

Of the 120 employees to lose their jobs, 86 are based in Southend and the remainder are field-based and work across the UK.

The company said they realised this was “disappointing and difficult news” for those involved but they were looking to minimise redundancies and support people with alternative opportunities where possible.

Having all its UK property claims based on the Pitheavlis site is good for jobs throughout Perthshire and good for the city of Perth