A MAJOR financial company is set to relocate its head office to Basingstoke with the potential for more than 150 jobs to be created over the next 18 months.

Reassured is to move from Alton, where the business started up, to Belvedere House.

Reassured is one of the UK’s largest direct life insurance brokers, arranging policies for around 78,000 families a year and annually servicing around 260,000 people.

The firm says its customer numbers have grown by 20 per cent in the past year with profits up by 305 per cent in the same period.

The company has been nominated as a Sunday Times Top 100 Company to Work for the last three years in a row.

Steve Marshall, chief executive officer of Reassured, said: “For the last eight years, Alton has been home to Reassured. We set up there and we have grown pretty quickly from a team of four in 2009 to 285 now. We expect to grow to over 450 people over the next 18 months.

“Our people are what makes this a great business. That’s why, when we started looking at our relocation options, it was important we didn’t stray too far from our roots. Keeping hold of the excellent people we have was a top priority for us.

“Basingstoke ticks all the boxes. It’s within easy commuting distance for our existing team and has a great pool of potential employees with relevant financial experience in sales, customer service, IT and marketing.

“We’re excited to be putting our plans into action, with Basingstoke our new home.”

Basingstoke and Deane Borough council’s cabinet member for property and development, Councillor John Izett, said: “We are delighted that Reassured has decided to make Basingstoke its UK HQ.

“It is fantastic news that Reassured has chosen Basingstoke and doubly pleasing that as consistent winners of the Sunday Times Good Employer awards our residents will have more excellent career opportunities.”

For more information visit reassured.co.uk