Peter Wood enjoyed success with Direct Line

At least 400 people will be employed over the next two to three years in a call and internet centre.

The company was started last year with backing from the Halifax to provide insurance for motorists and homeowners.

It already employs nearly 400 people in England.

It was founded by Peter Wood who, as the founder of Direct Line insurance, has a track record for innovative financial services.

Speaking on BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme, Mr Wood said: "We're going to create 400 jobs over the next few years.

Skilled jobs

"In fact, we expect in the longer term, we expect half of our operations to be based in Glasgow."

Mr Wood said the headquarters of esure would not be moving to the city but added: "There will be very important functions in Glasgow and very important functions in Manchester and down in Reigate".

He also said the jobs on offer would be varied and skilled.

Some of the jobs will be in telephone customer services

"They will be a combination of customer service for the telephone, for the internet, claims operations and no doubt there will be other functions. There will probably be some marketing."

The jobs were also welcomed by the agency Locate in Scotland, which promotes Scotland as a business location.

Director David Macdonald said: "Yet again Scotland has been able to demonstrate that it is a world class location for financial services."

Scotland is already home to the Halifax's online bank Intelligent Finance which was launched last year with the help of another Scot Jim Spowart - who set up Standard Life Bank.

Intelligent Finance now employs 1,400 people in Livingston.