Our Story and Values
Our story
Utmost was founded in 2013 by Paul Thompson and Ian Maidens. Since then, the business has grown through 13 strategic acquisitions of financial services companies. This has helped to establish Utmost as the leading global provider of insurance-based wealth solutions.
Today, Utmost manages more than £116 billion in assets on behalf of 190,000 clients across the UK, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.
The Utmost brand was first introduced in 2016 following the acquisition of AXA Isle of Man, which was subsequently rebranded as Utmost. The name reflects the commitment, ambition and high standards that underpin everything we do.
Today, Utmost is the shared identity of the entire Group. Our values guide how we work, make decisions and support our clients every day.
Why we are called 
Because Utmost means the greatest extend to which something can be achieved.
It reflects the level of endeavour we put in and the results we achieve, for everyone we work with. It gives meaning to everything we hold dear.
While our scale has transformed in recent years, our commitment to serving our clients with excellence, prudence and rigour has remained steadfast. Through every acquisition, every integration of teams and cultures, our values have always defined who we are and how we operate.
In 2026, we celebrated ten years of the Utmost brand. This first decade is a story of ambition and growth. More importantly, we have demonstrated that there is still a place for specialist providers with a clear strategy, strong financial foundations and a long-term commitment to advisers and clients.
To this day, prioritising discipline and vision is the blueprint for how we conduct our company. From a business founded by two people in 2013, Utmost has grown into a truly international organisation.
Watch our video which tells the story of our history or read about each key date and acquisition in our timeline.
FEB 2013
Life Company Consolidation Group (LCCG), now Utmost, is founded by Paul Thompson and Ian Maidens. Drawing on their extensive experience in the life insurance and financial services industry, they established the business with a vision to build a leading wealth solutions group through the acquisition and development of established financial institutions.
MAR 2015
In March 2015, Utmost acquires IBRC Assurance Company Limited and renames it Harcourt Life Assurance Company Limited. Later that year, Utmost completes the acquisition of Scottish Mutual International Limited from Phoenix Life and its portfolio of business is merged with Harcourt Life Assurance Company Limited. These acquisitions provided Utmost with an established Irish regulated life assurance platform and laid the foundations for future growth.
JUL 2016
Utmost acquires Aviva Life International from Aviva and brings the life assurance entity under its Dublin-based administration. Aviva Life International is renamed Harcourt Life International dac before being rebranded to Utmost Ireland dac.
OCT 2016
Utmost acquires AXA Isle of Man, one of the largest UK providers of insurance-based wealth solutions. This is a landmark moment for the Group, marking its transition from a closed-book consolidator of life insurance portfolios to an active participant in the international wealth solutions market. Utmost now has c.£10bn in assets under administration.
NOV 2016
2016 Augura Life Ireland and Altraplan Bermuda are acquired by Utmost.
MAR 2017
Utmost acquires Union Heritage Life Assurance, an Irish life assurance company.
JUN 2017
Utmost acquires the investment bond business of AXA Life Europe.
MAR 2018
Utmost Group completes the acquisition of Reliance Mutual which demutualises, and its business is transferred to a new life assurance company called Reliance Life
JUN 2018
Utmost acquires Generali PanEurope in Ireland from Generali Group. The acquisition makes Utmost one of Europe's largest providers of unit-linked wealth solutions. Utmost now has a total of £24bn of assets under administration.
JUN 2018
Utmost Group enters an agreement with Equitable Life to transfer the business to Reliance Life
DEC 2018
Utmost acquires Athora Ireland's (formerly Aegon Ireland's) international investment bond business.
FEB 2019
Utmost acquires Generali Worldwide in Guernsey, adding a further c. £5bn in assets under administration.
FEB 2019
Utmost Group undergoes a group-wide rebrand to Utmost
MAR 2019
Reliance Life is rebranded as Utmost Life and Pensions
JAN 2020
Completion of Equitable Life business transfer
OCT 2020
Utmost is reorganised to bring its businesses into a single group. Utmost Group plc is subject to Group Supervision by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA).
NOV 2021
Utmost completes the acquisition of Quilter International, a provider of insurance-based wealth solutions in the UK and Asia. The acquisition brought c. £24 billion of assets under administration and 90,000 policyholders into Utmost. The deal elevated Utmost's total assets under administration to around £56 billion at the time. In addition, the acquisition cemented Utmost’s position as a leading player in the insurance wealth insurance market and gave the Group an enhanced platform to pursue further acquisitions.
DEC 2024
Utmost completes the acquisition of Lombard International Assurance in Luxembourg. This major development added around £45 billion to assets under administration, scaling Utmost’s wealth solutions engine into a market-leading international force.
2025
Utmost has £116bn in assets under administration (as at 31 December 2025), supporting 190,000 valued clients around the world. Our scale is matched by financial strength, with our insurance companies holding A+ Insurer Financial Strength Ratings from Fitch, reflecting our long-term stability, resilience and commitment to clients.
FAQs
Your policy remains in place and continues under the same terms and conditions. Your contractual protections are unaffected and no action is required on your part.
Yes. Your policy continues to be subject to the appropriate regulatory and legal protections. You can find more information about Utmost’s regulatory oversight on our website here: Regulatory Information – Utmost.
Our Customer Support team is available to help with any questions about your policy, the acquisition of your previous insurer, or any other service-related query.
Policy documentation, application forms, servicing forms, product literature and other supporting materials are available to download from our Document Library.