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A US insurance company is planning to expand its newly established operations in Northern Ireland.

Florida-based Insurance Office of America (IOA) has set up a technical development centre in Belfast.

The firm plans to hire 40 people by 2022 with jobs from entry level to "high end" engineering, software development and data science roles.

Invest Northern Ireland has offered £445,762 towards the jobs and a skills development programme.

IOA's Belfast base will be responsible for the development of its new quote-and-buy insurance platform.

This is the first time the company has invested outside the USA.

Brian McDowell, from IOA, told ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ News NI setting up in Northern Ireland was a "no brainer."

"Northern Ireland has a strong insurance sector, the technical skills and expertise, and the work ethic we needed to accomplish our goals," he said.

"We have got off to a great start with the team in Belfast, with 21 roles already in place and staff all currently working from home.

"Whilst we are announcing these 40 roles, our business and board have been blown away by the level of expertise that we've brought in and we are already looking at a phase two and bringing in other roles. We are just getting started."

Invest Northern Ireland said the project will contribute £1.8m in salaries to the local economy.