A local company making local decisions for the communities we live in and serve.
Prophetstown Farmers Mutual Insurance Company was organized in March of 1876. The founders’ original mission was to provide fire and lightning insurance for farms and rural property. In 1876 insurance companies did not provide insurance coverage for property that could not be reached by local fire departments. Today, most large stock insurance companies are still unwilling to insure property that is not close to a fire hydrant. It is still the mission of Farmers Mutual to provide property insurance for farmers and rural residents.
The first Directors meeting was held April 22, 1876. There were nine directors selected from the original forty-eight charter policyholders. The nine directors chosen were also the agents who solicited additional policyholders in the original three township writing territory of Southern Whiteside County.
From its beginning the Farmers Mutual mission was to provide underserved rural residents the best policy available at a competitive price. To accomplish this goal, the company began buying reinsurance in 1896. Because of that forward looking approach, it was possible for the company to offer its policyholders wind insurance. By the mid 1960’s expanded perils, farm blanket coverage, deductibles, and liability coverage were offered. Over the years, the partnership with Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company made these changes possible.
In 1980, the replacement cost coverage on dwellings was offered, and in 1990 special peril became available on dwellings and farm machinery. Today, because of our partnerships with Grinnell Mutual and Hartford Steam Boiler Company, the Equipment Breakdown Coverage is readily available to our policyholders. While we are primarily a farm property insurer we also insure homeowners, rental dwellings, inland marine, and mobile home property. Broad peril up-to date policies at competitive rates are available for these risks too.
Even though the company was chartered in Prophetstown Township, Whiteside County, Illinois, Farmers Mutual has grown so financially strong that it offers property coverage in twenty-nine Illinois counties. Our company serves people from Bloomington, Illinois to the Wisconsin border and from the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan and the Indiana border.
The company has policyholders who span multiple generations. A current policyholder descends from his grandfather, who was a director and agent for the company in the 1920’s. This indicates of the strength and stability of our Company.
Prophetstown Farmers Mutual is governed by a nine member Board of Directors. They are policyholders with a strong interest in seeing the company continue to provide a stable, well managed, and financially strong insurance company dedicated to serving America’s heartland. These individuals are agri-business people with experience in banking, retail commercial business, the communications industry, and farming.
The Current Directors:
- David Goodell - President
- Todd Dail - Vice President
- Jeremy Weaks - Secretary/Treasurer
- Paul Beswick
- Stephen Zobrist
- Michael Glassburn
- Pete Yager
- Thomas Hammer
- Mark VonHolten
- Jeff Woodworth
