Our History

The Brighton Insurance Institute came into being at 6pm on 22nd March 1912 with PE Lawford (Guardian) taking the chair.

Ten years later it was Brighton and District Insurance Institute and eventually it became The Insurance Institute of Brighton.

The purchase of a presidential badge was first discussed in May 1927 but it was not until 1932 that it was purchased "on the institute's 21st anniversary". You may note that 1932 was, in fact, the twentieth anniversary!

The presidential badge was purchased with contributions from the president and past presidents totalling £10 from Jay's of Kings Road, Brighton and was presented to the then president A H Dilley. It was first worn at the annual dinner on 25 November 1932.

In 1962, in recognition of the institute’s 50th anniversary, the then president EG Bell was presented with an impressive bell of Chinese origin.

With the growth of insurance three ‘daughter’ institutes were created. East Sussex was set up in 1951, Horsham & Crawley in 1968 and Worthing and West Sussex in 1971.

Unfortunately as the industry changed, both in size and location, all three institutes struggled to find sufficient officers and council members. They were all dissolved and reconstituted as a local committee of the Insurance Institute of Brighton; Worthing & West Sussex in 1999, East Sussex in 2000 and Horsham & Crawley in 2005.

Additionally, a Haywards Heath local committee was formed in 1987.

The institutes boundaries are notionally the county boundaries of Sussex, but the area in the north east around Crowborough, Eridge etc. has, as far as we know been serviced by the Insurance Institute of Royal Tunbridge Wells since 1935.

1 May 2015 saw a further significant change in the life of the institute as it became the Insurance Institute of Sussex, recognising the fact that it is serving members across the whole of East and West Sussex.

The First 100 Years of the Insurance Institute of Brighton
Alan Jenner, with the help of Carl Bicknell, has put together a short history of our institute celebrating the first 100 years. To view or download a copy of this, please click here.