COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 52421

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

25companies1727–1998founding years25still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedThe Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc
1727
FoundedGrupo Financiero Banamex S.A.FoundedModern Woodmen of America
1884
FoundedPopular, Inc.
1893
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedEquifax Inc.
1913
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedEdward D. Jones & Company L.P.
1922
FoundedMarsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.FoundedOld Republic International Corporation
1923
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedGrupo Financiero BBVA Bancomer S.A.
1932
FoundedIngram Industries, Inc.
1938
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
FoundedAon Corporation
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedOregon Dental Service Health Plan, Inc.
1955
FoundedBrown & Brown, Inc.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedWells Fargo & Company
1968
FoundedAmerican Homestar Corporation
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
FoundedBenfield Greig Group plc
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedAEGON N.V.
1983
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
FoundedBanco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A.
1988
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc →
Active · founded 1727 · United Kingdom
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc ranks as the leading Scotland-based banking group and the number three bank in the…
Grupo Financiero Banamex S.A. →
Active · founded 1884 · Mexico
Grupo Financiero Banamex S.A.
Modern Woodmen of America →
Active · founded 1884
Modern Woodmen of America (MWA) is a leading fraternal life insurance society in the United States, with more than…
Allianz AG →
Active · founded 1890 · Germany
Once known primarily as a German insurance company, Allianz AG has grown to become one of the world's leading financial…
Popular, Inc. →
Active · founded 1893
Popular, Inc.
Equifax Inc. →
Active · founded 1913
Equifax Inc.
Edward D. Jones & Company L.P. →
Active · founded 1922
Edward D.
USAA →
Active · founded 1922
USAA is a diversified insurance and financial services company patronized primarily by U.S.
Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. →
Active · founded 1923
Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.
Old Republic International Corporation →
Active · founded 1923
Old Republic International Corporation, one of the 50 largest publicly held insurance organizations in the United…
Power Corporation of Canada →
Active · founded 1925 · Canada
Early 1950s:Company begins to diversify its interests away from the utility industry.
Grupo Financiero BBVA Bancomer S.A. →
Active · founded 1932 · Mexico
Grupo Financiero BBVA Bancomer S.A.
Ingram Industries, Inc. →
Active · founded 1938
Ingram Industries, Inc.
Aon Corporation →
Active · founded 1947
Chicago-based Aon Corporation is one of the largest insurance brokerage and consulting companies in the world.
Palmer & Cay, Inc. →
Active · founded 1947
With co-headquarters located in Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia, Palmer & Cay, Inc.
Oregon Dental Service Health Plan, Inc. →
Active · founded 1955
With offices in Portland, Milwaukie, and La Grande, Oregon, Oregon Dental Service Health Plan, Inc.
Brown & Brown, Inc. →
Active · founded 1958
With offices in 24 states, Brown & Brown, Inc.
American International Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1967
American International Group, Inc.
Wells Fargo & Company →
Active · founded 1968
Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified financial services company, ranking as the seventh largest bank holding company…
American Homestar Corporation →
Active · founded 1971
American Homestar Corporation, one of the leading producers of site-assembled manufactured housing in the United…
Benfield Greig Group plc →
Active · founded 1973 · United Kingdom
Benfield Greig Group plc is the world's third-largest reinsurance company, behind leaders Aon and Marsh & McClellan…
Electricidade de Portugal, S.A. →
Active · founded 1976 · Portugal
Electricidade de Portugal, S.A.
AEGON N.V. →
Active · founded 1983 · The Netherlands
AEGON N.V., one of the world's ten largest listed life insurance groups, is a prime example of the move toward larger…
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. →
Active · founded 1988 · Spain
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A.
AutoNation, Inc. →
Active · founded 1998
AutoNation, Inc.
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