Corporate Overview
History
Over the last 80 years, Nationwide has grown from a small mutual auto insurer owned by policyholders to one of the largest insurance and financial services companies in the world, with more than $135 billion in statutory assets.
Early growth came from working together with Farm Bureaus that sponsored the company. Eight Farm Bureaus continue to promote Nationwide and provide discounts to members.
The Early Years
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1925 − The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation incorporates the Farm Bureau
Mutual Automobile Insurance Company with the goal of providing quality
auto insurance at low rates for farmers in Ohio.
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1926 − The first policy is sold, and The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation is
open for business.
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1928 − With help from locally based sponsoring organizations, Farm
Bureau Mutual begins expanding into other states. These include West
Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Vermont and North Carolina.
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1934 − The company starts insuring motorists in metropolitan areas and,
through the purchase of a fire insurance company, begins writing
property insurance policies.
- 1943 − Farm Bureau Mutual operates in 12 states and the District of Columbia.
Becoming Nationwide
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1955 − From 1943 on, the Farm Bureau Mutual expanded operations until
it became clear that they had far outgrown their original goals... and
their name. So, with a western expansion that included 20 additional
states, the company changed its name to Nationwide
Insurance®.
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1978 − Nationwide completes its international headquarters at One
Nationwide Plaza. The 40-story structure is the largest single office
building in Central Ohio.
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1982 - Nationwide acquires Farmland Insurance, now Nationwide
Agribusiness Insurance, a 100-year-old company and America's
leading farm insurer.
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1997 − Nationwide Financial® goes public.
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2000 − With a ground breaking in 1997, the Nationwide Arena opens
providing a home to a National Hockey League franchise, the Columbus
Blue Jackets.
- 2007 − Nationwide Bank opens to the public.
