Company Profile
Guardian Life Insurance Company
Company Overview
With more than 5,400 employees and a network of over 3,000 Financial Representatives in more than 80 agencies nationwide, Guardian is one of the largest mutual life insurance companies in the United States. Founded in 1860, Guardian is a Fortune 300 company. Guardian and its subsidiaries provide almost three million people with life and disability income insurance, retirement services, and investment products. Our company also supplies employee benefits programs, including life, health and dental insurance, and qualified pension plans, to six million participants.
Company History
Guardian was founded by Hugo Wesendonck in 1860 in New York. At the time, it was called The Germania Life Insurance Company of New York.
Within two short years, the company began opening agencies across the country. We even served policyowners in Colorado, the Dakotas, New Mexico, and Arizona, long before these territories became states.
In 1868, Germania became the first U.S. insurance company to start an agency in Europe. By the early 1900s, almost half of its business was outside North America, until the pressures of World War I forced it to stop writing business in Europe.
In 1917, the company changed its name to The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America.
In 1925, Guardian converted from a mixed stock and mutual company to a wholly mutual company. As such, we have no stockholders or private owners. The policyholders own the company and profits are distributed to them in the form of dividends on policies.
About Guardian
Founded 150 years ago, Guardian and its subsidiaries are committed to protecting individuals, business owners and their employees with life, long term care insurance, disability income, medical and dental insurance products, and offer 401(k), annuities and other financial products and trust services.