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Benjamin Franklin, The Father of American Insurance

Written by: Andrew Hernandez
Published on: Jul 7, 2017

Benjamin Franklin

In 1730, Philadelphia would experience a devastating fire in the Fishbourn’s wharf, destroying all the stores and several homes in the area. A local by the name of Benjamin Franklin believed the tragic event could’ve been greatly contained with the most basic of firefighting instruments. This spurred him to create Philadelphia’s first volunteer firefighting department, the Union Fire Company.

Before long, Franklin decided to also financially protect the residents’ homes and valuables from fires. So in 1752 he founded the first insurance company in America, The Philadelphia Contributionship for the Insuring of Houses from Loss by Fire. The firm would go on to sell 143 policies in the first year, paving the way for insurance companies and earned Franklin the moniker of “the father of American insurance.”

The insurance industry has seen a lot of growth and changes over the last 265 years. And it continues to evolve at a rapid pace. All of this has led to an all-time record high in employment for the insurance industry in 2016. As these jobs continue to grow, many changing with the latest technological advancements, it’s important to continually find the latest jobs being created. And to find the best people to fill those positions.  

That’s why since 2001, GreatInsuranceJobs.com has been a leader in connecting insurance professionals with the best insurance companies in the country. Even Benjamin Franklin, the great pioneer of many advancements himself, has to agree that the best place to find insurance jobs and professionals is at GreatInsuranceJobs.com.