Amica Mutual Insurance - Company History

Company History

Automobile Mutual Insurance Company of America began in 1907 in Providence, Rhode Island, offering auto, fire and theft insurance.

The man behind the company was Adolph T. Vigneron, a prominent Providence businessman. At the time he was a vice president of the Associated Factory Mutual Fire Insurance Companies. These companies practiced preferred risk underwriting which provided lower insurance rates for factories in excellent condition. He theorized that the same principles could apply to automobile insurance.

Amica was organized as a mutual company, meaning that the company was owned by policyholders rather than stockholders.

Amica experienced steady growth as the number of automobiles on the road increased. To meet expanding needs, in 1914, the Factory Mutual Liability Insurance Company of America began providing liability insurance to Automobile Mutual policyholders.

In 1941, Amica opened its first branch office in Boston, Massachusetts. The company added homeowners' insurance in 1956 and later added marine and personal excess liability insurance. In 1970, Amica Life Insurance began. In 1973, Automobile Mutual and Factory Mutual became a single company.

In 1994, Amica's corporate offices moved from Providence, Rhode Island, to a much larger campus in nearby Lincoln.

The company celebrated its 100th year in 2007.