Hastings Direct is to create 200 new posts over the next 12 months.

The Bexhill-based insurance broker said the first batch of these posts are customer facing roles and will be recruited over the coming weeks.

It is looking for both part-time, full-time and temporary staff from the Bexhill, Hastings, Eastbourne, Brighton and Hove areas for an immediate start.

The new recruitment drive is to meet expansion from growing customer demand. In the last 12 months every 27 seconds the company sold a policy and passed the one million customer mark in March this year; the company wants to attract another three million new customers by 2020.

“Despite the miserable weather, we are a real bright spot on the South Coast,” said Amanda Menahem, Hastings Direct’s HR director.

“We are introducing our first fast track graduate intake this September and urgently need to recruit even more talent to achieve our ambitious goals.

“The new roles will be across the business and whilst they are full time equivalents as we operate in the evenings and weekends we are also very interested in recruiting anyone interested in part time work or job sharing. As well as the financial rewards we offer, there is a huge amount of opportunity for talented individuals to develop a career.”