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.
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,
12 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 dramatically changed .
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
50 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 Insurance 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 more than $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 more than 140,000
square feet.
During the 1970s, 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 1980s 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.
By the late 1990s 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 more than $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, has a Best's Rating of A. 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 more than 700 dedicated employees and represented by more than 500 Independent
Insurance Agencies, Frankenmuth Insurance still follows the heritage upon which it was
founded more than 140 years ago. The coverage is broader, the area is larger, but the
tradition is still neighbor helping neighbor.
