Esure founder considering quitting the UK Industry experts say Esure is likely to follow the lead of Mr Wood's old business, Direct Line, and list its shares on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) over the next few months. City sources claim that a takeover or sale also remain under consideration with one potential buyer named as Travelers, the US insurer. Last year, Esure appointed bankers to advise it on a possible disposal. The company, which also owns other brands including Sheilas" Wheels, recruited Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan with sources estimating that a listing could value the group at more than £1bn. This is significantly more than the £270m it was valued at when Lloyds Banking Group sold a controlling 70pc stake in the company for £186m in 2010. Mr Wood and his management team are likely to monitor the performance of Direct Line closely over the next few months. Direct Line's shares have risen by more than 8pc since they began trading on the LSE last week. Yesterday, the first day of unconditional trading, saw the shares rise1¼ to 189¼p. Aside from Direct Line and Esure, Hastings, another insurer, which appointed Gary Hoffman as its chief executive on Monday, is also known to be considering an initial public offering at some point in the future. Towergate Insurance is another industry player tipped to float.