IRMG Brief

The International Risk Management Group will be represented by Executive Vice President, Laura Shaw, and Director of Marketing, Danielle Betras, at this year's International Disability Insurance Society conference in Chicago.

When you think "insurance hub", you may not think of Chicago, but the city's history in the industry is substantial. According to The Encyclopedia of Chicago, the Windy City was a pioneer in fire and auto insurance as well as in insuring African Americans and establishing safety standards in construction. The first is no surprise, considering the majority of the city had to be rebuilt after The Great Chicago Fire in 1871. Aetna Insurance Company was the first to establish a presence in the city in 1834, and by the time of the fire, there were 129 insurance companies operating in Chicago. The Great Chicago Fire bankrupted nearly half of the city's insurance companies.

Though it was a great loss for many in Chicago's insurance field, the industry, like the city, emerged from the rubble even stronger. The disaster exposed where fire regulations and policies were weak, and in the aftermath of the destruction, The Chicago Board of Underwriters worked to institute both a fire patrol and fire inspection among other safety regulations. Post-1871, the city of Chicago became a model city of safety, known as "the safest insurance field in the world."

We look forward being part of Chicago's insurance history and to connecting with those of you attending IDIS in October.