100 Years of Rain and Hail

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.