unlikely to be affected by the merger of the two insurers, Nathaniel Butterfield said yesterday.

Mr. Butterfield, an underwriter with CNA Butterfield & Son Ltd, Sun Alliance's agent in Bermuda, said Sun Alliance and Royal do not overlap in very many jurisdictions, but Bermuda is one where there is a dual presence.

"I don't necessarily see them wanting to change the group locally,'' he said.

Royal's agent in Bermuda is Freisenbruch-Meyer Insurance Services Ltd. (FMIS).

Even if there is an effect on the Bermuda agents, it will not be until well into 1997, he said.

The new company, Royal and Sun Alliance Insurance Group Plc, has operations in 57 countries.

The merger means clients policies are that much more secure, Mr. Butterfield added.

FMIS president Michael Freisenbruch agreed that it will be "business as usual.'' There are no known changes at the Bermuda operations and both agents are now "members of a much stronger financial group,'' he said.