Drive through downtown Lincoln and you’ll pass the headquarters of companies that have been writing life insurance for well over a century. For a mid-sized Plains city, Lincoln carries an outsized place in the industry’s history, and that story holds a few lessons that still matter to anyone buying a policy today.
A Quick Timeline
- 1887 Old Line Bankers Life Insurance Company of Nebraska is founded in Lincoln. It later becomes Ameritas.
- Late 1800s and 1900s Other Lincoln-based insurers take root, including Woodmen Accident and Life.
- 2007 Several of those local companies combine to form Assurity, still headquartered in Lincoln.
A fun footnote: Lincoln Financial Group isn’t from here. That company takes its name from Abraham Lincoln and is based elsewhere entirely.
Three Lessons Worth Carrying Forward
1. “Old line” once meant something specific
In the early days, the term described companies that held legal reserves to back their promises, rather than relying on collecting assessments from members after a death. That idea, keeping money set aside so claims can be paid, is still the foundation of every sound policy.
2. Ownership structure is worth knowing
Both Ameritas and Assurity operate as mutual organizations, meaning they’re structured around policyholders rather than outside shareholders. Not every insurer works this way, and asking how a carrier is organized is a reasonable question.
3. Longevity and strength go hand in hand
A life policy may need to perform decades from now. Independent financial strength ratings help show which carriers are built for that kind of commitment.
Home and Farm Insurance helps families in Lincoln, Bennet, and across Nebraska compare carriers and find life insurance that fits their goals. To start the conversation, reach out through Home and Farm Insurance, proudly serving Lincoln, NE from our Bennet office.
