About the Group

United Fire

United Life

Cedar Rapids, Iowa businessman, Scott McIntyre Sr., was approached by a group of Des Moines, Iowa businessmen for financial assistance in saving their small fire and automobile insurance company, Ace Mutual Insurance Association. Mr. McIntyre agreed to do what he could, provided that the company move its headquarters to Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Ace Mutual Insurance Association moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. For the next two years, business was conducted out of one room on the fourth floor of the Iowa Theatre Building. The company eventually occupied 26,000 square feet in two buildings at 810 First Avenue NE in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Mr. McIntyre received a request for financial assistance from North Central Mutual Association of Boone, Iowa. North Central Mutual Association moved to Cedar Rapids and merged with Ace Mutual Insurance Association. The corporate name was appropriately changed to United Mutual Insurance Association.

United Mutual Insurance Association seemed the ideal company on which to build a capital stock insurance firm. So, Mr. McIntyre organized United Casualty Company, the first casualty insurance company to be successfully organized in Iowa in more than a quarter century. In the beginning, United Casualty Company could only write automobile and casualty lines in Iowa.

Insurance laws changed to permit multiple-lines underwriting. United Casualty Company immediately amended its charter to include fire insurance. The word “fire” was added to the corporate name and United Mutual Insurance Association ceased operations.

United Fire & Casualty Company’s Fidelity and Surety Department was started with a staff of two: an underwriter and a clerk-typist. During its first year, the department produced $10,282 in written premium.

United Life Insurance Company was established to complement United Fire & Casualty Company’s growing list of products. By October 1963, 55 agents used United Life Insurance Company regularly.

To accommodate growth, United Fire & Casualty Company purchased a vacant store property at 118 Second Avenue SE in downtown Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and remodeled it into a modern office building. Eventually, the Security Building, located on the opposite side of the street, was purchased. These properties remain United Fire Group®'s current headquarters.

United Fire & Casualty Company began its reinsurance operations.

In May 1971, United Fire & Casualty Company held a public stock offering and raised $1.8 million.

Lafayette Insurance Company and Insurance Brokers & Managers Inc. (IB&M) of New Orleans, Louisiana were purchased, serving as the New Orleans Regional Office.

United Fire & Casualty Company acquired the business of Protective Fire and Casualty Company of Lincoln, Nebraska. It assumed the name United Fire & Casualty Company and became the Central Plains Regional Office.

United Life Insurance Company became one of the first companies to offer the revolutionary life insurance product, Universal Life, in their territory. United Life Insurance Company's early entry into the writing of Universal Life contributed substantially to its growth.

The conversion of the Denver office, which was established in the 1960s, to a full branch office began. It became the Denver Regional Office.

In May 1986, United Fire & Casualty Company held a public stock offering and raised $18 million.

United Fire & Casualty Company acquired Addison Farmers' Insurance Company (now known as Addison Insurance Company) of Lombard, Illinois. In 1998, Addison Insurance Company's Lombard, Illinois office closed and moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, creating two new offices: Midwest Regional Office and Great Lakes Regional Office.

United Fire Group assets exceeded $1 billion.

United Fire & Casualty Company completed the acquisition of American Indemnity Financial Corporation in Galveston, Texas. It became the Lone Star Regional Office.

United Life Insurance Company reached $1 billion in assets in the third quarter 2001.

United Fire assets exceeded $2 billion.

United Fire & Casualty announced its decision to close the Central Plains Regional Office in Lincoln, NE, and consolidate the business with that of the home office in Cedar Rapids, IA.

In May 2002, United Fire & Casualty Company held a preferred stock offering and raised over $65 million.

Effective August 1, 2003, Hull & Company Incorporated, an insurance wholesaler based in Fort Lauderdale, FL, purchased the business of Insurance Brokers & Managers Inc. from Lafayette Insurance Company.

Effective June 30, 2004, United Fire & Casualty Company closed the New Orleans Regional Office in New Orleans, Louisiana, and consolidated its business with that of the company's Lone Star Regional Office in Galveston, Texas. The Lone Star Regional Office was renamed the Gulf Coast Regional Office. A claims office was established in New Orleans.
Forbes magazine ranked United Fire number 92 among the "200 Best Small Companies," the highest ranking of the three Iowa companies included in the list that year. To qualify, companies had to show a consistent pattern of positive growth during a five-year period, as well as during the previous 12 months.

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall in New Orleans, Louisiana, devastating much of the north-central Gulf Coast and killing over 1,800 people before dissipating on August 31. Hurricane Katrina was the costliest catastrophe in the history of United Fire Group to date, exceeding $210 million in losses and loss settlement expenses net of reinsurance.

In May 2006, United Fire issued 4,025,000 shares of common stock, priced at $28.00 per share, through a public stock offering. Net proceeds to the company were $107.5 million, which were used for general corporate purposes and to enhance the company�s capital position.

President & CEO John A. Rife rang the NASDAQ Stock Market Opening Bell on Monday, July 17, 2006, at the NASDAQ Market Site on Broadway in Times Square, New York City. The bell ringing commemorated the company�s 20th anniversary of being listed on The NASDAQ Stock Market�s Global Market.

On May 16, John A. Rife retired as president and chief executive officer of United Fire after leading the company for a decade. Rife retained his position as president of the subsidiary company, United Life Insurance Company. As part of its long-term plan of succession, the company named Randy A. Ramlo to the post of president and chief executive officer. Ramlo became the fifth leader in the company�s history.

In June 2008, United Fire was forced to temporarily relocate its home office due to damage caused by historic and unprecedented flooding of the Cedar River, which crested at 31.12 feet on June 13 - nearly 20 feet over flood stage and more than 11 feet higher than the previous record set in 1929. Home office employees were displaced for more than 11 weeks, with the majority working from a temporary office outside of Cedar Rapids. The home office reopened in downtown Cedar Rapids on September 2. Less than two weeks later, on Saturday, September 13, Hurricane Ike struck Galveston, Texas, causing significant damage to the leased office buildings that make up our Gulf Coast regional office. Gulf Coast employees were forced to relocate to a temporary office near Houston.
In October, United Fire purchased an adjoining two-story office building at 109 Second Street SE in downtown Cedar Rapids to accommodate its growing workforce in the home office. United Fire now owns three adjacent office buildings in downtown Cedar Rapids, which comprise the home office.

Using a combination of conservative management, progressive leadership and competitive products, United Fire Group® has grown from a small automobile insurance company into a successful regional carrier. United Fire & Casualty Company, the parent company of United Fire Group®, was founded in 1946. In addition to United Fire & Casualty Company, United Fire Group® aslo includes the following wholly owned insurance subsidiaries:

United Life Insurance Company

Lafayette Insurance Company

Addison Insurance Company

United Fire & Indemnity Company

United Fire Lloyds

Texas General Indemnity Company

Operating through a network of independent agents, we provide insurance protection to individuals, businesses and organizations. Our complete line of products includes commercial insurance, personal insurance, life insurance and surety bonds. We are licensed as a property and casualty insurer in 43 states, plus the District of Columbia, represented by over 800 independent agencies, and as a life insurer in 28 states, represented by over 950 independent agencies. Please use our Agent Locator to find an agent near you.

Our products are marketed principally through our Home Office in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and two regional locations: the Denver Regional Office in Westminster, Colorado; and the Gulf Coast Regional Office in Galveston, Texas. A claims office is also maintained in New Orleans, Louisiana. We currently employ over 670 employees. Please use Contact Us for a mailing address and driving directions for each office.

United Fire Group® is conservatively managed and financially strong. In 2008, our property and casualty segment was recognized by Ward Group as one of 50 top-performing property-casualty insurance companies in the industry. We have been placed in this elite group for 16 consecutive years. In addition, our life insurance subsidiary, United Life Insurance Company, was named to the 2008 Ward�s 50 life-health insurance companies for the third consecutive year. United Fire Group® is one of only 13 organizations that have affiliated companies named to both the property-casualty and life-health Ward's 50 group of companies. Our company has consistently earned Excellent ratings from industry analyst AM Best Company.

Our common stock is listed on the NASDAQ exchange under "UFCS." We have paid dividends every quarter since March 1968.