Travelers

The Numbers at a Glance:

Second-largest writer of auto and homeowners insurance through independent agent

Products distributed primarily through over 12,000 independent agents throughout the United States

Background & History:

In 1853 Alexander Wilkin with 16 other Saint Paul businessmen established St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance Company. Eleven years later J.G. Batterson created The Travelers Insurance Company to insure travelers against loss of life or personal injury while voyaging by railway or steamboat. That year it sold the first accident insurance in the United States. The next year when it began selling life insurance, Travelers became the first company in the country to offer more than one type of insurance.

In 2004 The Saint Paul and Travelers Property Casualty merged to form St. Paul Travelers with the headquarters set in St. Paul, Minnesota. In 2007, the company repurchased the rights to the famous red umbrella logo, which it had lost in a merger with CitiGroup years earlier, and changed its name to The Travelers Companies.

Company Overview:

An array of products is offered by Travelers and its subsidiary companies. Products are distributed primarily through independent insurance agents and brokers. Its personal lines of insurance include a broad array of property and casualty insurance products for individuals, such as automobile, homeowners, umbrella, condominium, tenant, flood, identity theft, valuable items, boat and yacht and wedding coverages. The company has offices in every state, the United Kingdom, Shanghai, Ireland, Singapore and Canada. In 2008, the company reported revenues of $24 billion.