100 Years of Rain and Hail
1919
1919
Hail Audit and Statistical Bureau was Created
Organized by Aetna Insurance Company (today ACE Property and Casualty Insurance Company), Insurance Company of North American (INA) and Springfield Fire and Marine Insurance Company to write Crop-Hail insurance in the Midwest as well as the Pacific Coast.
November 19, 1919
James B. Cullison, Jr. Hired to Manage the Bureau
James B. Cullison, Jr. reared from a farm in Oklahoma where he experienced the natural perils and problems common to farming - drought, hail, insects and disease.
1920s
March 25, 1920
INA issued Hail Policy No. 1
July 6, 1921
Hail Audit and Statistical Bureau Set Up Office in the Plymouth Building in Minneapolis, Minnesota
March 28, 1924
The Name “Rain and Hail” Formed
Crop-Hail insurance partnership, the Hail Audit and Statistical Bureau, expanded into a national bureau to write not only hail but also rain insurance. The association was called “Rain and Hail”.
May 10, 1924
Rain Policy No. 1 Issued
Insured “Uniformed Rank Company No. 155, Knights of Pythias” for $1,000 against loss occasioned by rain at their spring festival, to be held under a tent in Granite City, Illinois, on May 17 between 6 and 9 p.m. The premium was $90.
1925
Northern Division Office Opened
1925
Southern Division Office Opened
1925
Southwest Division Office Opened
1926
Atlantic Coast Division Office Opened
1926
California Division Office Opened
1926
Great Plains Division Office Opened
1926
Midwest Division Office Opened
1929
Rain and Hail Separated Rain Policies into Two Distinct Classes
Form “A” (“when insuring events that have an income or gross profit expectancy”)
Form “B” (“only on events having expenses but no income expectancy”).
1930s
1934
Canada Division Office Opened
1935
Football Rain Coverage Introduced
Form “E” (“designed to cover income from advance sale of reserved seat tickets for football games only.”)
1936
Northwest Division Office Opened
1938
The Federal Crop Insurance Act was Passed
This established the very first Federal Crop Insurance program.
1938
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) was Created to Carry Out the First Authorized Federal Crop Insurance
1940s
1940
Eastern Division Office Opened
1942
Great Lakes Division Offices in Bloomington and Chicago Opened
January 1949
James B. Cullison Retired as Chairman after 30 years with Rain and Hail
June 1949
Stephen K. Bjornson, Chairman, Passed Away after 26 Years with Rain and Hail
1960s
December 1962
Springfield Fire and Marine Merged with Monarch Life Insurance Company
Springfield Fire and Marine merged with Monarch Life Insurance Company and, subsequently, withdrew from the property and casualty field of insurance.
December 1962
Insurance Company of North America Decided to Increase their Efforts in the Farm Property and Casualty Field and Combine this with Their Own Crop-Hail Department
January 1, 1963
Board of Governors Dissolved and Disbanded the Bureau After a Tough Hail Season
January 1, 1963
Aetna Immediately Re-Formed Rain and Hail Insurance Bureau in the Plan of Dissolution
Secretary-Controller D.F. Kirsheman – Aetna was Rain and Hail’s “guiding light.”
1980s
1980
Rain and Hail National Headquarters Moved from Chicago to Des Moines
2829 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines, Iowa. Corporate staff consisted of W.D. “Bill” Classen, President; Cecelia Browne, Officer Administrator; and Glen Peterson, Computer Director.
September 26, 1980
The Federal Crop Insurance Act of 1980 was Passed
Congress passed legislation to increase participation in the Federal Crop Insurance Program and make it more affordable and accessible.
December 31, 1980
Rain and Hail Insurance Bureau Ended Operations After 61 Years
All Bureau member companies withdrew from the Crop-Hail business, thus ending the Bureau.
January 1, 1981
Rain and Hail Insurance Service, Inc. Began Operation and Became Crop Insurance General Agency for Aetna
Rain and Hail Insurance Service, Inc., an employee-owned managing general agency, began operation and became the crop insurance general agency for Aetna Insurance Company.
July 30, 1981
AGIS, Inc. was Incorporated
December 12, 1981
Rain and Hail Corporate Relocated to 1501 50th Street in West Des Moines, IA
1982
Rain and Hail Became the Crop Insurance MGA for CIGNA
CIGNA merged with the Insurance Company of North America and Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, which had acquired AETNA.
August 1983
Agri General Insurance Company, a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Rain and Hail Insurance Service, Inc., was Incorporated in the State of Iowa
September 1983
The First RHIS Newsletter to Agents, Adjusters and Employees was Issued
February 26, 1985
RHIS, Inc. – Hailwise We Specialize Logo Trademarked
1986
Rain and Hail Began Providing Crop Insurance for State Farm
1986
Rain and Hail Corporate Relocated to 4800 Westown Parkway, Building 4 in West Des Moines, IA
1987
E.L. Ross Became a General Agent for Rain and Hail
1988
Rain and Hail Acquired the National Farmers Union (NFU) Book of Business
December 1988
Rain and Hail Became the First Crop Organization to Exceed $100 Million in Crop Insurance Premiums
Servicing $122,000,000.00 in premium.
1990s
December 13, 1991
Crop Insurance Training Institute, Inc. (CITI) was Incorporated
CITI was created as a non-profit to provide various educational programs/seminars for instruction to crop insurance adjusters.
March 1, 1992
Bill Classen Retired as Chairman After 35 Years with Rain and Hail
August 25, 1992
RHIS, Inc. – Crop Insurance Since 1919 Logo Trademarked
January 13, 1993
Rain and Hail Insurance Society was Incorporated
Society was incorporated as a non-profit to promote the general welfare of the crop insurance industry while RHI Society PAC was created to facilitate the election of candidates to public office who demonstrate support of crop insurance.
October 13, 1994
The Federal Crop Insurance Reform Act of 1994 was Signed into Law
This act completely restructured the Multiple Peril Crop Insurance program, including introducing CAT coverage.
1996
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) was Created
March 6, 1996
RHIS Inc Became a Holding Company and Rain and Hail LLC Became the Operating Entity
August 25, 1998
RHIS International, Inc. Logo Trademarked
September 15, 1998
Rain and Hail Mexico Logos Trademarked
Rain and Hail Mexico logos (Spanish and English versions) trademarked.
1999
ACE USA Purchased the CIGNA P&C Business and the 20% of Equity in RHIS Inc.
2000s
2000
Rain and Hail Added the Former CIGNA Agribusiness Book of $38 Million to Its Portfolio
April 3, 2000
E.L. Ross Acquired by Rain and Hail
May 2000
Congress Passed the Agricultural Risk Protection Act (ARPA)
This act made different types of insurance products more accessible for farmers.
November 16, 2001
Rain and Hail Moved to the 9200 Northpark Drive Complex in Johnston, IA as the New Rain and Hail Headquarters
2002
Rain and Hail Became the Crop-Hail MGA for Wheat Growers Farm Mutual Insurance Company
November 5, 2002
RHIS, Inc. (Crop Insurance Removed) Logo Trademarked
2004
Pacific and Montana Divisions Consolidated into the Northwest Division
October 2004
Rain and Hail Hit the Billion Dollar Mark of Written Premium
2005
The MPCI Program Marked its 25th Anniversary Since Inception
2005
Rain and Hail Insurance Service, Inc Celebrated 25 Years as a Company
April 1, 2005
John Joyce Retired as Chairman after 18 Years with Rain and Hail
March 7, 2006
Agri General Insurance Company Logo Trademarked
January 2008
Rain and Hail Launches Its Inaugural Annual Photo Contest
2010s
October 2010
The Rain and Hail Board Met for the Last Time
December 28, 2010
Rain and Hail Insurance Service, Inc. Acquired by ACE
November 30, 2011
ACE Acquired Penn Millers
January 5, 2012
Steve Harms Retired as Chairman After 36 Years with Rain and Hail
2013
Central Division Office Opened
April 2013
Penn Millers and Rain and Hail’s Agribusiness Department Joined Forces Under a New Name, ACE Agribusiness
January 29, 2014
The Agricultural Act of 2014 Passed
Also known as the 2014 Farm Bill, this act provided more complete coverages for American farmers, solidifying crop insurance as a necessity.