1868: The Beginning...

  

Frankenmuth Insurance was founded on the tradition of neighbor helping neighbor, and it is a tradition we continue to uphold today.

  

The company has its roots in the Deutschen Frankenmuther Unterstützungs Verein (German Frankenmuth Aid Association), founded by a group of Bavarian pioneer settlers in 1868. The Deutschen Frankenmuther Unterstützungs Verein was a true mutual insurance society.   Each of the 200 charter members listed the buildings and goods they wished to insure and their value.  When any member incurred a loss by fire or other covered peril, every member was called on to contribute toward coverage of the loss, with the contribution proportionate to the member's insured values.

  

  

Shortly after formation of the Association, the requirement that members be residents of Frankenmuth was eased so members could be enrolled from the nearby communities of Frankenlust, Frankentrost, Frankenhilf and Amelith. However, it was still required that both husband and wife were able to speak German and be Lutherans in good standing.        

  

The Association's first office consisted of available space in the back room of the Nuechterlein Mortuary on Main Street in Frankenmuth.

  

 

 

  

1921: Frankenmuth Mutual Auto Insurance Company

  

By 1920, automobiles were no longer a rarity.  As the number of automobiles increased, so did the number of accidents - and the need for auto insurance.   On September 15, 1921, 23 stockholders of the Frankenmuth Garage Company signed the charter of the Frankenmuth Mutual Auto Insurance Company.

  

  

To begin operations, the company needed 200 subscribers.  The premium rate was a flat $7.50 per car, plus a $1.00 policy fee.    By March of 1922, the required 200 subscribers had been enrolled allowing the Frankenmuth Mutual Auto Insurance Company to officially issue its first policy, which covered a 1923 Dodge Brothers sedan owned by John A. Geyer.  The company has since purchased and restored the automobile (pictured here).

  

In 1949, the Frankenmuth Mutual Auto Insurance Company built a new home office next to the Frankenmuth Mutual Fire Insurance Company.

 

 

  

1941: Frankenmuth Mutual Fire Insurance Company

  

In 1941, the Frankenmuth Mutual Fire Insurance Company assumed operation of the Aid Association.  The new company began with operations in three counties, twelve agents in the field, and ranked 32nd in size among similar Michigan companies.  To make the change complete, the company moved to the Fechter Hardware building up the street.

In just seven years, the Frankenmuth Mutual Fire Insurance Company more than doubled its total insurance in force, and in 1948 moved into its own building at 130 West Tuscola Street.  The first non-assessable policies were issued in 1952. An era had ended; what began in 1868 as a largely informal standing-together of neighbors governed by ties of shared nationality, religion, and language, had changed dramatically.

 

  

1958: Frankenmuth Mutual Insurance Company

 

By 1958, Frankenmuth Mutual Fire Insurance Company was the second-largest such company in Michigan with over 16,000 policyholders and a staff of some fifty agents to serve them.  The Frankenmuth Mutual Auto Insurance Company was providing automobile and casualty insurance to more than 40,000 policyholders through 110 company agents.

  

The two Frankenmuth companies were more than just neighbors in their Tuscola Street locations.   Each was rooted in the same heritage, had been started to meet a hometown need, and operated to a large extent in the same counties of Michigan using the same independent agents as representatives. It became apparent to both companies that independence and separate operations would limit rather than strengthen their growth.        Thus, after a series of meetings, it was agreed to merge the two companies effective December 31, 1958.  The merged company, with combined assets of over $6,000,000, became Frankenmuth Mutual Insurance Company.

  

 

 

 

  

Within a year after the merger, plans were made to build a new, larger headquarters.   In 1960, the company moved into its new 12,000 square foot home office at One Mutual Avenue.  There have been four major building expansion projects since then, with the most recent in 2008 expanding office space to over 140,000 square feet.

  

During the 1970's, Frankenmuth Mutual expanded geographically to offer a broader base of operations. The coverage area grew to include Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin, giving the company a four-state field of operation.

  

The 1980's marked continued emphasis on automation and efficiency which bolstered the company's growth and financial base.  In 1980, the company was given an "A+" (Superior) rating by A. M. Best Company, which the company has maintained ever since.

  

  

           

  

         

By the late 1990's Frankenmuth Mutual Insurance was licensed and doing business in seven states and direct written premiums were nearing $300 million. The company was prepared to expand into the Southeast region of the country and formed a subsidiary company called Ansur America to spearhead new regional growth in Georgia and Tennessee.

 

 

2007: Patriot Insurance Merger

  

In July 2007, Frankenmuth Insurance merged operations with Patriot Insurance Company, a small regional insurer based in Maine. Frankenmuth Insurance helped introduce commercial insurance products to Patriot Insurance, and has helped them expand growth in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The geographic diversity of operating in multiple regions of the country further strengthened Frankenmuth Insurance's financial position and added to the company's overall stability.

 

2008: Frankenmuth Insurance: Expanding towards the Future

  

With Frankenmuth Insurance operating in the Midwest and Southeast, and Patriot Insurance in New England, the company stands poised to continue its steady growth through regional expansion and new business development. Company assets have grown to over $1 billion, with direct written premiums approaching $500 million and a policyholder contingency reserve fund of $380 million.                      

  

  

Exceeding Expectations with Personalized Service

  

We understand that being a provider of insurance carries a high level of responsibility and expectations. As a financially strong and stable regional insurance company, we take pride in exceeding your expectations with personal customer service; something difficult to find today. We are well respected and trusted for being there when our customers need us, which is why we are consistently among the top rated insurance companies nationwide.

  

Financially Sound and Secure

  

Today, Frankenmuth Insurance, one of the industry's most financially sound and secure carriers, is rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best, the leading provider of ratings, news and financial data for the insurance industry. Our policyholders can rest assured that when catastrophe strikes, we'll be there for them throughout the entire recovery process.

  

In addition, TheStreet.com has bestowed Frankenmuth Insurance with an "A" (Excellent) rating. Less than 1% of all companies reviewed by TheStreet.com received a rating of "A" or better.

  

Our policyholders have the security and protection of a financially sound, well-managed company with resources to cover insured losses.

  

Serviced by over 600 dedicated employees and represented by over 500 independent agencies, Frankenmuth Insurance still follows the heritage upon which it was founded 140 years ago. The coverage is broader, the area is larger, but the tradition is still neighbor helping neighbor.