Insurance company Aviva has signed a four-year, US$30 million deal to become the title sponsor of the English rugby Premiership.

Aviva will replace Guiness as the title sponsor, and under the terms of the deal, the top-flight will now be known as Aviva Premiership Rugby.

The partnership begins immediately and will be officially launched closer to the start of the 2010/11 season. Aviva will also invest in strengthening the presence of Premiership clubs in the community through a new community programme.

Premiership Rugby chief executive, Mark McCafferty, said: "A title sponsorship deal with Aviva, which is such a strong international consumer brand, is another significant milestone in the growth of Premiership Rugby and provides us with a long-term partnership commitment to our sport and to our work in the community."

Aviva UK chief executive, Mark Hodges, added: "We've invested a lot of time and effort looking for and researching the right sponsorship opportunity and we know that rugby, the fastest-growing participation sport in England, fits absolutely with Aviva.

"It appeals to many of our customers, intermediary partners and to the other businesses we work with in the UK, so this sponsorship will give us exciting opportunities to connect with them and deliver significant business benefit."