Hughes Insurance, an independent insurance broker based in Northern Ireland, will be closing six of its 11 branches, leading to the loss of 20 jobs.
The offices in Ballymena, Ballynahinch, Lisburn, Magherafelt, Newry and Omagh will be ceasing operations in April. This will be the first major move for the company since it was acquired by US-based
Liberty Mutual Insurance in 2014.
The remaining five branches are earmarked for growth, and there will also be a restructuring at the company’s headquarters in Newtownards
According to chief executive Brian McDowell, “90% of our customers deal with us either online or on the phone, with 50% of all our business originating online. As a result, we have witnessed a steady decline in branch footfall. Therefore, keeping our current branch network was unsustainable.”
