Duncan McFarlane likely never imagined the insurance company he managed in the 1860s would one day be part of a 150th anniversary celebration.
But on May 25, that’s exactly what will happen when the Halwell Mutual Insurance Company commemorates that important and historic milestone with an open house at the Puslinch Community Centre in Aberfoyle.
The site is fitting for the event, considering that in 1968 the same property hosted the amalgamation of the Puslinch Mutual Fire Insurance Company, of which McFarlane was the first manager, with the Eramosa Mutual Fire Insurance Company and the Halton Union Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Company.
On Jan. 1, 1969 the companies merged under the name Halwell Mutual Fire Insurance Company, which was chosen based on the two areas where the majority of the business was located: Halton and Wellington counties.
Far various reasons, the newly-formed company used the charter of its Eramosa precursor, established in 1861, which means that is the formal founding date for Halwell Mutual.
“For a business, it’s got to be unique,” current board chairman Alan Orr said of the company’s sesquicentennial anniversary.
Halwell President Doug Winer, who lives in Guelph and grew up in Puslinch, noted Halwell is one of the oldest insurance companies in the province.
“It’s all due to the loyalty of our policy holders, brokers, board of directors, and staff,” Winer said of the company’s longevity.
Orr, who lives on a farm just outside Hillsburgh, added, “We’ve been doing the little things right for a long, long time.”
Indeed, the company’s roots go back even further than 150 years. In 1859, a full eight years before the Canadian Confederation, the Puslinch Mutual Fire Insurance Company was established, followed in subsequent years by the Eramosa and Halton mutuals.
Many other similar companies started in the province in the mid to late 1800s as a result of rural property owners wanting to protect their assets.
“It started from a desire in the farming community for insurance,” said Orr. “[Those companies] were fulfilling an obvious need in the community.”
Around that time many homesteads transformed into more established working farms, and owners wanted protection for valuable farm buildings, livestock and equipment. The threat of fire was the main concern of the day – as the original company names indicate.
The companies were formed by local residents within the townships who gathered and said, “This is how we’re going to look after this problem if it ever shows its face,” Orr said.
According to the policies of the time, property owners were able to ensure against fire damage caused “by accident, lightning or by any other means, excepting that of design in the party assured, insurrection or invasion.”
In the early 1900s, as villages transformed into towns and cities, mutual insurance companies began insuring urban properties.
The business continued to expand and today Halwell Mutual offers a complete line of home, farm, commercial and automobile insurance.
Amalgamation of the three original insurance companies was formally discussed in June, 1968 at the old Aberfoyle Town Hall, and the 10 representatives of the companies voted unanimously in favour to proceed with the merger.
The companies agreed on a 12-member board of directors and also to equally share the cost for reorganization. When presented with three possible names for the new company, the majority voted in favour of “Halwell Mutual Fire Insurance Company” (the word “fire” was officially removed in 1988 to reflect changes in the business).
The new company was launched in 1969 with Max Forsythe, formerly of Eramosa Mutual, serving as its first general manager.
The first office was located at 100 Woolwich Street in Guelph, but by 1977 the company had outgrown that location and moved to its current home at 812 Woolwich Street (after extensive renovations to the 1,800 square foot building).
In 1992, to accommodate continued growth, the company added a 2,500 square foot expansion.
Winer has served as president since 1987, when he took over from Rob Forsythe, son of original Halwell general manager, Max Forsythe.
The Board of Directors was reduced from 12 to nine members – all with strong ties to local communities.
The company now boasts 15 employees and is represented by 22 independent insurance brokers with 33 offices operating within a 70km radius of Guelph and serving roughly 11,000 policy holders.
Last year, Halwell’s gross written premium was almost $15.7-million and its surplus was valued at over $19.3-million. Thirty years ago, the company’s gross premiums were under $993,000 and its surplus was valued at just over $1.6-million.
It’s quite an accomplishment for a company that started 150 years ago under the watchful eye of a few dedicated, community-minded men like Duncan McFarlane.
“We’re proud of our history, we’re very proud to be part of the community with our loyal policy holders … and we’re proud to be represented by various local brokers,” Winer said.
He noted some brokers have been with the company for over 50 years, and some families in the area have been Halwell clients for three or four generations (in fact, Winer counts his own family as “long-time policy holders in the company”).
And he hopes some of those clients will be among the guests present for the company’s 150th anniversary celebration on May 25 at the Puslinch Community Centre in Aberfoyle.
The open house, to which all Halwell Mutual policy holders are invited, runs from 2 to 5pm, with presentations at 3:30pm.
For more information on Halwell Mutual Insurance Company call 519-836-2860 or (toll free) 1-800-267-5706 or visit www.halwellmutual.com.
