The Congregational Insurance Company Ltd.

The company was founded in 1891 by the Reverend Samuel Antliff, Pastor of Ramsden Street Congregational Church in Huddersfield, with capital of £50,000. In the company's first year, 445 policies were issued insuring property for £906,000.

In 1895 the company moved to Bradford and made the first grant of £50 to a charity, the Congregational Church Aid and Home Missionary Society.

The Independent Insurance Company Limited was formed to enable Trustees and Officers of Congregational Churches to insure against liability in view of the Workmen's Compensation Act which came in to force on 1st July 1907. Later the same year it became The Congregational Insurance Company Ltd. The war halted business progress with nearly half the male staff joining the forces and the added burden of operating War Damage Insurance on behalf of the Government.

In 1956 the Congregational Insurance Charitable Trust is formed and disburses grants to churches, schools, colleges and community projects from payments made to it from the Insurance Company profits.

During 1972 the company becomes the Congregational & General Insurance Company Ltd.
Congregational & General Insurance Company Limited became Congregational & General Insurance plc. during 1981.

During Aug 2007 the 100th AGM was held, which put Congregational & General in the top 0.1% of UK companies still trading after a century.

by Paul Green