Insurance giant to 'export' 1,100 jobs to India

One of the country's biggest insurance firms today announced plans to transfer more than 1,100 jobs to India over the next few years, sparking fears of a "crisis" in the UK.

Royal & Sun Alliance said it will save over £10 million a year by switching call centre and customer service work to Bangalore.

The firm, the second biggest general insurer in the UK, already employs 100 workers in India, so the figure will rise to 1,200 by 2006.

Union officials said the loss of jobs to overseas countries now posed a "very real threat" to the UK economy.