Continuing the MetLife Tradition
of Innovation |
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| MetLife has been helping people with the "ifs" in life throughout its history. While those "ifs" may have looked different in the 1860s, or even a decade ago, MetLife has always understood a customer’s need for solutions that provide peace of mind and financial guarantees. Our solutions have extended beyond our customers, too, to shape our industry, support our associates and build our communities. |
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| 1868 |
| MetLife has its origins in 1863 when the National Union Life and Limb Insurance Company is created to insure Civil War soldiers against disabilities.
In 1868, the focus shifts to life insurance, and Metropolitan Life begins business. |
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| 1879 |
| MetLife does something that no American insurer is doing. It offers Industrial insurance to help "workingmen" and their families. By 1909, we are the largest life insurer in North America due to the success of this business. |
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| 1883 |
| MetLife hires its first female agent, 37 years before women can vote in the U.S. |
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| 1900 |
MetLife is first to offer a cash surrender privilege on Industrial policies. During the Depression, we pay $1 billion in cash surrenders
to customers. |
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| 1909 |
MetLife creates a Welfare Division, including a Visiting Nurse Service for policyholders. During its 44 years in existence, more than 20 million people receive over 100 million nursing visits.
MetLife is first to introduce a low-cost whole life policy.
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| 1922 |
| MetLife's group operation is the first to enable employees to secure more insurance by contributing to cost. |
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| 1926 |
| MetLife writes the first group plan covering more than 100,000 lives for General Motors. |
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| 1930s |
| During the Great Depression, MetLife rescues more than 7,000 farms from foreclosure. |
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| 1930 |
MetLife insures every fifth man, woman and child in the U.S.
and Canada. |
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| 1931 |
| MetLife studies help formulate the Social Security System. |
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| 1940s and 50s |
| MetLife invests in America's development, including railroads and public utilities. |
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| 1945 |
| MetLife is the largest private contributor to the Allied cause during World War II. The company invests almost 52 percent of its total assets in U.S. and Canadian bonds. |
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| 1947 |
| MetLife buys the first public bond issue of the World Bank. |
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| 1954 |
MetLife installs UNIVAC, the life insurance industry's first
large-scale computer. |
| MetLife is the first insurer to be selected as an administrator of
the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Program. |
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| 1962 |
| MetLife is first to enter the large market dental business and five years later, large market prescription drugs. |
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| 1964 |
| With the Red Cross, MetLife develops the first nationwide blood bank. |
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| 1974 |
| MetLife introduces flexible work hours for associates. |
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| 1976 |
| MetLife Foundation is established to carry on MetLife's long-standing tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. |
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| 1983 |
| MetLife is the first large insurer to sell variable and universal life. |
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| 1985 |
| In a bold move, MetLife signs Snoopy and the PEANUTS® gang to appear in its
advertising, departing from more traditional campaigns. |
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| 1986 |
| MetLife Foundation recognizes the implications of Alzheimer's disease and establishes an awards program to support medical research. |
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| 1991 |
| MetLife surpasses $1 trillion of life insurance in force, the first North American insurer to do so. |
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| 2000 |
| MetLife takes another bold step, transforming to a stock company to create even greater value. At the time of its IPO, it is the most widely held stock in North America. |
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| 2001 |
MetLife is the first insurer to launch a nationally chartered bank under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.
MetLife is first to pay claims after September 11. |
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| 2002 |
| In its largest single international acquisition to date, MetLife acquires Aseguradora Hidalgo, S.A., in Mexico. This puts MetLife on a path to becoming Mexico's largest life insurer and begins MetLife International's journey as a growth engine for MetLife. |
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| 2003 |
| MetLife introduces a suite of retirement income products to protect Baby Boomers from longevity risk. |
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| 2004 |
MetLife is first to raise maximum life insurance policy amounts to 30 times income to
address underinsurance.
MetLife enters one of the largest future growth markets for life insurance
in the world-China.
MetLife is asked by Congress to be a thought leader on retirement
and savings. |
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| 2005 |
MetLife completes its largest deal ever with the purchase of Travelers Life & Annuity.
MetLife is the first to offer property and casualty customers one policy package, one deductible and one bill: GrandProtectSM.
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| 2006 |
| MetLife is selected as a dental provider for theFederal Government. |
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