The new rolling contract builds on a fleet management deal that Inchcape Fleet Solutions has held for more than six years, and was won following a tender and review process by Guildford-headquartered Allianz of its operation.

The company, one of the largest insurers in the UK, is undertaking the outsourcing move after deciding to focus on its core business. Allianz will continue to fund its fleet on an outright purchase basis, but Inchcape Fleet Solutions will undertake the acquisition and selling of vehicles to maximise both its buying power and disposal/residual value expertise.

The new arrangement means that Inchcape Fleet Solutions has taken over management of the 250-strong Allianz management car fleet, with the 800-strong job-need fleet contract going live on 1 April 2010.

The Allianz job-need fleet is a sole-supply Ford contract with employees at the wheel of a range of low-emission models.

The fleet review has seen the management fleet switch from an open user-chooser policy to a five-badge choice embracing Audi, BMW, Ford, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen. Drivers are being offered incentives to choose cars with CO2 emissions below 160g/km.

In addition, Inchcape Fleet Solutions will provide a range of additional services including a bespoke extranet site enabling a full range of vehicle and driver-related reports to be downloaded by Allianz management, an occupational road risk management programme and a dedicated helpdesk to answer all Allianz employees’ vehicle-related questions.

Inchcape Fleet Solutions’ managing director Terry Bartlett said: ‘Securing a new outsourcing agreement is a fantastic start to 2010. The new contract will enable Allianz to derive increased benefit from our wide range of service and in-depth management reporting.’