INSURANCE jobs in Kent could be at risk following a decision by Royal and Sun Alliance to cut a further 900 jobs.

However, the company hopes that voluntary redundancy or retirement will account for most of the job losses. Royal and Sun Alliance used to employ substantial numbers of people in Maidstone and elsewhere, but there are now far fewer employees in the county.

A spokesman said the company was unable to be precise where jobs would go, but any job losses in the county would be insignificant."

He added: "Maidstone is now very small, we moved out of the main centre in Lower Stone Street and now we only have about 10 to 15 people There's no longer a big Kent presence at all."