Our History

Helphire Group plc is one of Bath's great success stories. Started in a one-room farm building on the outskirts of Bath in 1992, we now have a turnover of more than £231 million and employ more than 1,750 people, countrywide.

In 1998 Angel Assistance Ltd was created, as a subsidiary of Helphire, providing a policy to underwrite the cost of the Helphire service. This ensured that customers were not at financial risk even if charges could not be reclaimed.

In October 2004 the acquisition of Albany was announced. The company provides dedicated claims management solutions.

In September 2005 the acquisition of Swift Rent-A-Car Limited was announced. The company specialises in the supply of prestige vehicles on credit hire to drivers involved in non-fault accidents.

Following rapid growth from launch, a flotation on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange in 1997 enabled further expansion. Initial market capitalisation valued the company at £16 million. Several major financial institution and financial press awards followed flotation.

In 2005, Helphire Group plc joined the FTSE 250 and in 2006 was listed on the Indy 100, The Independent's new share index designed to reflect the health of the UK economy.

Key financials and numbers:

• Turnover: £231 million (what year does this cover?)
• Number of hires: 110,725
• Staff: over 1,750
• Call centre capacity: 100,000 concurrent claims