About Swett & Crawford

The Beginning

1908

Clarence H. Crawford, a Los Angeles attorney, moves to San Francisco to manage and ultimately liquidate the Pacific Surety Company.

1913

Crawford hires W.B. Swett, scion of a prominent Northern California family, as an underwriter to assist him in liquidating the Pacific Surety Company.

1914

Swett and Crawford open their own agency in San Francisco, W.B. Swett & Company, as a managing general agent for the International Indemnity Company, a Los Angeles-based insurance company specializing in surety and plate glass business.

1915

Swett & Crawford convinces Industrial Indemnity to write automobile policies in response to the popularity of Henry Ford's assembly line production of the Model T.

1921

Swett & Crawford organizes and serves as sole managing agent for their own company, Security Insurance Company of California; underwriting automobile, personal insurance, homeowner policies and other small casualty accounts.

1925

W.B. Swett & Company becomes sole underwriting manager for Pacific Indemnity Company, organized by a group of Los Angeles insurance executives with capital assets of $3 million. W.B. Swett and Clarence H. Crawford agree to merge their Security Insurance Company business, upon renewal, into the Pacific Indemnity Company and reorganize.

1926

"W.B." is dropped from company name, Crawford is added, and Swett & Crawford becomes the official name.

1929

Despite the financial calamity of the stock market crash which adversely affects most businesses nationwide, Swett & Crawford continues to expand, diversify and prosper. Swett & Crawford opens a branch office in Los Angeles.

1930

Swett & Crawford writes one of the largest policies in the West Coast: an excess policy over $1 million for Pacific Gas and Electric. Swett & Crawford also writes the fire, earthquake and casualty insurance on the historic El Cortez Apartment Hotel in San Diego.

1931

Swett & Crawford opens branch offices in Seattle and Portland.

The London Connection

1934

John C. Spencer, a Lloyd's broker with Sedgwick Collins & Co., Ltd., joins Swett & Crawford as head of newly-created Excess and Special Hazards, ultimately known as the Lloyd's Department. Through Lloyd's, Swett & Crawford becomes the leading U.S. broker for placement of difficult coverages, specializing in motion picture production, aviation and huge construction projects.

1935

Swett & Crawford renews a $262,500 accident and life policy for Will Rogers. In August, Will Rogers and Wiley Post die in a plane crash near Point Barrow, Alaska while on a transcontinental flight.

1936

Swett & Crawford provides riot and strike coverage for Universal Studios, and cast insurance for Disney's production of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," with a separate binder for Adriana Castelotti, the voice of Snow White.

1937

Swett & Crawford places a $1 million public liability and $1 million property damage for the Golden Gate Bridge during the final phases of its course of construction.

1938

Swett & Crawford provides cast coverage, producers indemnity and negative film floaters for David O. Selznick's classic production of "Gone With The Wind."

1939

Swett & Crawford is the leading brokerage for placing huge Course of Construction (COC) risks; its engineering department having played a key role in insuring projects such as the Oakland Bay Bridge, the Hoover Dam and the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco. Underwriter's Report, a California trade magazine, describes Swett & Crawford as the "largest agency on the West Coast."

1941 - 1945

World War II has a dampening effect on the construction business. Swett & Crawford shifts priorities to steel companies, aviation subcontractors and defense contractors, such as McDonnell Douglas and Lockheed.

During Hollywood's golden years, Swett & Crawford insured many of its brightest stars including Lucille Ball, Bing Crosby and Marlene Dietrich.

1946

As the nation recovers, Swett & Crawford prospers, providing insurance coverages for hydroelectric dams, industrial complexes, offshore oil drilling fleets and hull coverage for Lockheed's emerging passenger aircraft construction.

1956

Swett & Crawford opens offices in Atlanta, Dallas and Phoenix.

1958

Pacific Indemnity buys back underwriting contract from Swett & Crawford. To focus solely on surplus lines, a group of Lloyd's Department managers and employees form a new organization with an existing surplus lines book totaling $15 million in annual premiums.

Swett & Crawford's Atlanta branch office provides the coverage on Elvis Presley's solid gold 1960 Fleetwood Cadillac limousine.

1960

Swett & Crawford's acquisition of the Harbor Insurance Company enables S&C to function once again as general agents -- this time with its own insurance company to underwrite a percentage of the domestic risks.

1969

Swett & Crawford purchases Leslie H. Cook to serve as its Chicago headquarters for the Midwest Region. Unionamerica, Inc., acquires Swett & Crawford and its subsidiaries providing S&C with additional capital. Swett & Crawford writes the accidental death and dismemberment policy for the employees of Coca-Cola.

1970

Swett & Crawford purchases Buffalo Insurance Company, an inactive New York firm, reactivates it as a vehicle for treaty and facultative reinsurance, and renames it: Unionamerica Reinsurance Company.

1971

Swett & Crawford organizes Unionamerica Insurance Company Limited of Great Britain and Unionamerica Management Company, LTD., both in London.

1973

Reinsurance Facilities Corporation is formed with Mac W. Henderson as President. S&C's Midwest Region includes branch offices in Kansas City, Missouri, and Columbus, Ohio.

1974

W.F.W. Fellows becomes President of Swett & Crawford.

1975

The Insurance Group expands its operations to Eastern Canada and forms Swett Insurance Agency, Ltd. in Toronto.

1976

The Continental Insurance Corporation acquires Swett & Crawford and its subsidiaries for $25 million in cash and an additional infusion of $25 million in capital for Harbor Insurance Co.

1977

Swett & Crawford, Harbor, Buffalo Reinsurance and RFC emerge with a new name and corporate identity: Swett & Crawford Group. Swett & Crawford is the leading surplus lines broker for all major railroads during the mid-60s through the late 70s.

1980

W.F.W. Fellows retires as President of Swett & Crawford Group and is succeeded by Mac W. Henderson.

1981

The Group forms Swett & Crawford Management Co., Inc. to provide underwriting facilities to Swett & Crawford brokers on an exclusive basis and to act as underwriting manager for the Harbor Insurance Company. With its reputation as a large risk broker firmly established, the Group provides coverages for COC, D&O, E&O, excess liability and umbrella, and takes the lead in the new environmental impairment liabilities market.

1983

The St. Paul Companies acquires Swett & Crawford, RFC, Swett & Crawford Management Co., Inc., and Appleton & Cox for $35 million. This acquisition, along with the earlier purchases of John H. Crowther, Inc., IWest Insurance Managers, Dana Roehrig & Associates, and Montgomery General Agency, enables the St. Paul to develop, maintain and promote a new and greatly expanded national wholesale organization.

1985

The St. Paul combines its wholesale brokerages, National Insurance Wholesalers (NIW) and Swett & Crawford, into the nationally-known Swett & Crawford Group. Joseph L. Fox is appointed President.

1986

Business Insurance names Swett & Crawford Group the nation's top wholesale brokerage -- Swett continues to hold this place of honor to present day. The Group purchases Fort Hill Insurance Agency in New England.

1988

Swett University is created as a national training and continuing education program for employees and clients. The St. Paul acquires Minet Holdings PLC, an international London-based insurance brokerage, and consolidates Bowes & Company, a Minet subsidiary, with Swett & Crawford Group. Warren Stanley succeeds Joseph Fox as President and Chief Executive Officer of Swett & Crawford Group.

1989

Swett & Crawford Group celebrates 75 years of achievement and distinction as the leading wholesale insurance brokerage.

1990

Swett Insurance Managers (SIM), a general agency operation, is created to develop and expand underwriting activities and authorities.

1991

Swett & Crawford Group's premium volume totals $527 million; revenue increases by more than 13 percent per employee. Company expands product strengths, including capacity for liability coverages in the construction and energy industries and leadership in the areas of directors and officers liability. Offices in California, Florida, New England, the Northwest, Texas and Illinois are expanded to meet developing customer base.

1992

Swett & Crawford provides coverage for the America's Cup Finals held in San Diego in 1992. Throughout the '90's, Swett & Crawford continues to support both "main street" and unique risks, reflecting the need of their customer base to service a broad base of clients, as well as focus on specific industries and niches.

1993

Swett & Crawford is still supporting Hollywood's movie stars with the placement of earthquake insurance on the headquarters of one of the world's biggest talent brokers.

1997

In 1997, Swett & Crawford is acquired by Aon Corporation. The synergies with other specialty market specialists -- managing general underwriters, affinity program administrators, facultative reinsurance, and claims services specialists -- provide even broader access to services to serve our customers.

2000

Swett & Crawford breaks the billion dollar premium barrier -- places $1 billion of premium volume in a single year.

The consolidation of Bryson Associates operations with Swett & Crawford expands capabilities throughout the East and Southeast, as well in Ohio.

2002

Major merger combines the strengths of Swett & Crawford with those of regional brokerage operations, Sherwood Insurance Services and Insurance Brokers Service. Capabilities and services are tripled in strength.

2003

Swett exceeds $3 billion in premium written.

2005

Swett & Crawford is sold to an investor group which includes HM Capital Partners, Banc of America Capital Investors, Emerald Capital Group, and employees of the company.

Business Insurance© magazine names Swett top wholesale insurance broker in their "Reader's Choice Awards".

2006

Neal Abernathy, Swett & Crawford's President / COO named Chief Executive Officer.

For the second year in a row Business Insurance© magazine names Swett top wholesale insurance broker in their "Reader's Choice Awards".

Swett & Crawford announces the acquisition of the assets of Oxbridge Insurance Associates, Inc. (Oxbridge) located in Morristown, New Jersey.

2007

For the third year in a row Business Insurance© magazine names Swett top wholesale insurance broker in their "Reader's Choice Awards".

On December 31st, Swett & Crawford announced the acquistion of Risk Reducers, LLC, a wholesale insurance broker specializing in workers' compensation.

2008

Steve Sadler named Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Sales.

For the fourth year in a row Business Insurance© magazine names Swett top wholesale insurance broker in their "Reader's Choice Awards".

2009

Business Insurance© announced that for the 5th consecutive year, Swett & Crawford has been awarded the honor of Best Insurance Wholesaler in their "Reader's Choice Awards".

2010

$3.5 Billion Independent Broker Created by Cooper Gay and Swett & Crawford Deal.

Business Insurance© announced that for the 6th consecutive year, Swett & Crawford has been awarded the honor of Best Insurance Wholesaler in their "Reader's Choice Awards".

2014

Swett & Crawford prepares for its Centennial -- 100 years serving the commercial insurance marketplace.