Cameron has stood the test of time by being a company that values its policyholders and agents. Starting as a mutual company in 1892, we have held true to our roots and continue to be a mutual company that values our customers. As we celebrate our 128 years of service this year, we look back at where we’ve been as we continue to look toward the future.
1892 - Organization was established as the Farmers Mutual Tornado, Cyclone and Windstorm Association of the Third Congressional District at Darlington in Gentry County, Missouri.
1902-1907 - Home office was moved to Cameron, Missouri. Shortly after in 1907, the name of the company was shortened to State Farmers Mutual Tornado Insurance Company of Missouri.
1932 - Board voted to put a man on the road for the company, whose duty it would be to visit County Mutual Companies and their agents in regard to writing tornado insurance for this company.
1958 - At a meeting held June 3rd, members replaced the old Articles of Incorporation with new Articles of Incorporation. With this change, the company was now a multiple line, non-assessable, Chapter 380 Farm Mutual Insurance Company, able to write all types of casualty insurance throughout the state of Missouri.
1964-1965 - Company purchases 48-acre site in Cameron, MO in 1964. Shortly thereafter, construction began for a new headquarters. The building was opened in 1965 as the new home office at 214 E McElwain Drive.
1966-1968 - In 1966, a branch claims office was established in Springfield, MO. By 1968, the company had 745 licensed agents in Missouri, 6 full-time district supervisors and 10 full-time adjusters. The company was known across the state as “that Cameron company”, so on February 22, 1968 the board changed the name to Cameron Mutual Insurance Company.
1983 - In 1983, Cameron took over management of Famers Mutual Insurance Company of Sikeston. It was then moved to Cameron and it became Cameron Country Mutual Insurance.
1980-1981 - By 1980, Cameron Mutual had more than 150,000 individual policyholders. In 1981, another claims office was established in Cape Girardeau, MO.
1984-1985 - In June of 1984 Cameron Mutual received authority to write business in Iowa. Then, in October of 1985 Cameron Mutual received authority to write business in Arkansas.
1988-1989 - Cameron Life Insurance Company was incorporated in September of 1988 and the first policy issued was June 23, 1989. In 1989, Cameron Mutual acquired Eagle National Assurance Corporation in Iowa.
2000 - Eagle National was re-domesticated to become a Missouri corporation, and its name changed to Cameron National Insurance Company.
2003-2005 - Cameron Mutual formed a brokerage agency, Cameron Life Agency, Inc. In 2005, the name was changed to Cameron Insurance Companies Agency, Inc., offering Cameron independent agents access to life and health insurance markets as well as specialty property/casualty markets not directly available from Cameron Mutual.
2007-2008 - Cameron Country Mutual Insurance Company discontinued its property operations and was merged into Cameron Mutual Insurance Company. Cameron Mutual Insurance continues to offer liability reinsurance today.
2015 - In 2015, Cameron Mutual began its initiative to streamline operations and re-focus on its mutual roots, opting to move all of the business written by its stock subsidiary, Cameron National, into Cameron Mutual Insurance Company as each policy renewed.
2017 - Cameron Mutual now operates solely as Cameron Mutual Insurance Company. The company adopted a new logo as part of its re-branding efforts.
2020-2021 - Cameron Mutual relocated from the building on McElwain Drive to another location in Cameron MO. Cameron Mutual is transitioning to a hybrid work model with employees located from Iowa to the most southern part of Arkansas and everywhere in between.
As we continue to celebrate 128 years of service, we enjoy reflecting on where we came from, but at the same time we understand it’s important to continue moving forward toward a successful future. As evident during the past 128 years, we continually strive to provide the best service, as well as to adapt to meet the needs of the ever-changing times. Cameron Mutual is, has been, and always will be Genuinely Responsive.