LEADING insurance broker BiB has announced a partnership with national retail chain Mills Group to launch a range of products for convenience store customers.

The Darlington broker has teamed up with the North East-based retailer to develop Mills Convenient Insurance, covering home, holiday, pet, motor and vehicle breakdown.

The development will take BiB's name into Mills' 82 UK stores.

The products were launched in 20 stores last month and will be in every store next month.

The move comes as the neighbourhood shopping market, already worth more than £21bn, is forecast to become the fastest growing retail sector.

Mills and BiB expect the products, which are designed to be easy to understand and simple to arrange, to compete with those offered by retailers including Tesco and Sainsbury, as well as the major insurance companies.

Denis Pinnegar, BiB group development director, said the initiative was breaking new ground in bringing insurance to the convenience store market.

Mr Pinnegar said: "We believe there is enormous potential in the products, not least in the half amillion people a week who will see our marketing literature in Mills stores."

John Porrett, Mills commercial director, said: "This is an exciting new development for Mills and we are looking forward to working with BiB. We believe this is a positive move forward in extending the services we provide to our customers."

BiB, which employs more than 75 people at its Darlington headquarters, said its involvement in the launch of neighbourhood store insurance had already attracted interest from other retail chains.