The History of Insurance companies is an interesting one:

 

It originally began as an idea put forward by Edward Lloyd of Thames, England.  Lloyd's began in Edward Lloyd's Thames-side coffeehouse in Tower Street in the City of London. Evidence exists that Lloyd's coffeehouse was well known in London business circles by 1688. The wealthy individuals in the coffeehouse would each take a share of a risk, signing their names one beneath the other on the policy together, with the amount they agreed to cover. For this reason they were known as 'underwriters'. Lloyd died in 1713 but the coffeehouse continued to prosper as a center for marine insurance. By the end of the 18th century the underwriters had elected a committee and moved to their own premises in the Royal Exchange. Only members of Lloyd's were allowed to accept insurance business. The Society of Lloyd's was incorporated by The Lloyd's Act of 1871, which provided the business with a sound legal basis and laid the foundations for today's market.[1]

 

In terms of modern day insurers:

 

-State Farm, the number one grossing insurance company in the world began (as the name says) on farms. [2]

 

-American International Group, the second largest insurance company has its roots based in Shanghai, where C.V. Starr (the company’s founder) offered fire and marine coverage.[3]

 

-Metropolitan Life Insurance, better known as Met Life began in 1863 when a small group of New York businessmen raised 100,000 to insure Civil War soldiers and sailors against wartime injuries. [4]

 

-Allstate Insurance Company was founded in 1931 as part of Sears, Roebuck & Co. [5]