Liberty Mutual facts for kids
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Liberty Mutual's logo, featuring the Statue of Liberty, and its headquarters at 175 Berkeley Street in Boston
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| Mutual. Private | |
| Industry | Insurance |
| Founded | July 1, 1912 (as Massachusetts Employees Insurance Association) |
| Headquarters | , |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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Timothy M. Sweeney (President and CEO) |
| Services | Property and Casualty Insurance |
| Revenue |  $48.2 billion (2021) |
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Operating income
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 $1.282 billion (2019) |
| $3.068 billion (2021) |
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| Total assets | $156.043 billion (2021) |
| Total equity | $27.848 billion (2021) |
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Number of employees
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45,000+(2021) |
Liberty Mutual Insurance Company is a very large insurance company from the United States. It's one of the biggest property and casualty insurers in the world. This means they help people and businesses protect their homes, cars, and other valuable things from unexpected damage or loss.
Liberty Mutual is based in Boston, Massachusetts. Its logo features the famous Statue of Liberty. The company has over 45,000 employees in many different places around the world.
The company started in 1912. It offers many types of insurance products. These include insurance for your car, home, and even for businesses to protect their workers.
Liberty Mutual also owns parts of other insurance companies in many countries. These include Brazil, Chile, China, India, and the United Kingdom.
In the United States, Liberty Mutual is a "mutual company." This means that the people who buy insurance from them (called policyholders) are also considered owners of the company.
The current leader of Liberty Mutual is Timothy M. Sweeney. He became the CEO in 2023.
Contents
How Liberty Mutual Started
From Workers' Help to Global Insurance
Liberty Mutual began in 1912 in Massachusetts. It was first called the Massachusetts Employees Insurance Association (MEIA). This happened after a new law required businesses to have insurance for their workers. This insurance, called workers’ compensation, helps employees if they get hurt at work.
The company was set up as a "mutual company." This means its customers, or policyholders, own it. In 1914, the company opened its first branch office. That same year, it started offering car insurance.
In 1917, the company changed its name to Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. It then started offering full car insurance policies.
Growing and Changing How It Works
In 1964, Liberty Mutual started offering life insurance. This type of insurance helps protect families financially if someone passes away.
In 2002, the company changed its structure. This allowed it to offer stock while still being a mutual company. Some customers were worried about this change. They thought it might reduce their say in the company. However, the plan was approved by the policyholders. This change helped Liberty Mutual grow from a smaller, regional company into a major global insurance provider.
Buying Other Companies and Expanding
Liberty Mutual has grown by both getting new customers and by buying other companies. Over the years, they have bought several large companies. One big purchase was Safeco Corporation in 2008 for about $6.2 billion. This helped Liberty Mutual's income grow a lot.
In 2011, Liberty Mutual started building a new 22-story building for its headquarters in Boston. It was finished in 2013.
In 2017, Liberty Mutual bought Ironshore Inc. for almost $3 billion. They also bought State Auto Group in 2021 and AmGeneral Insurance Berhad in Malaysia in 2022. These purchases helped the company become even bigger.
How Liberty Mutual is Organized
Liberty Mutual runs its business through two main parts. These are called US Retail Markets and Global Risk Solutions.
US Retail Markets
This part of Liberty Mutual offers insurance products to individual people in the U.S. This includes insurance for cars, homes, and life. You can buy these products through sales people, call centers, or the company's website. They also sell products under the Safeco name through many insurance agencies.
Global Risk Solutions
This part of the company offers special insurance products for businesses around the world. This includes insurance for things like ships, airplanes, and managing big risks. They have offices in many countries. This group also offers reinsurance, which is insurance for other insurance companies.
Other Companies Liberty Mutual Owns
Liberty Mutual owns many other companies. Some of these include:
- Helmsman Management Services
- Liberty International Underwriters (LIU)
- Liberty Mutual Surety (LMS)
- Liberty Seguros (in other countries)
- Safeco
- State Auto Mutual Insurance Companies
- Ironshore
Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety
From 1954 to 2017, Liberty Mutual had a special research center. It was called the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety. Scientists there studied how to keep workers safe and healthy.
They looked at things like how machines could be made safer. They also studied ergonomics, which is about designing workplaces to fit people better. Their research helped create safety rules and guidelines used around the world.
The institute also created the Workplace Safety Index. This report showed the main causes of serious workplace injuries in the U.S. The scientists published their findings to help everyone improve safety. The institute closed in 2017.
Advertising and Famous Ads
Liberty Mutual uses different ways to advertise its services.
Since 2019, a character called LiMu Emu has appeared in many of their TV ads. LiMu Emu is a mix of a real emu and CGI. He often appears with a human character named Doug.
You might also have seen commercials with an actor who pretends to have trouble saying the company's name correctly. He often says funny things like "Liberty Bibberty."
Many of their commercials are filmed with the Statue of Liberty in the background, showing their connection to the idea of liberty.
