Our Story
In 1937, Edwin F. Averyt and J. Clifton Judy started Mutual Accident Company in Columbia, South Carolina and sold their first product — accidental death coverage. Their first sales team was comprised of mostly local women. They could relate to the struggles others were going through and talk with them about their financial protection needs.
In 1939, the company became Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company. The mission then was the same as it is today — to help America’s workers preserve and protect the vitally important things they work so hard to build.
We’ve continued to evolve over the years:
- In 1955, we introduced worksite marketing of voluntary benefits through payroll deduction, and that first payroll deduction account remains a Colonial Life customer to this day.
- In the 1970s, we implemented computer technology long before most companies did.
- In the 1980s, we began marketing our products through Section 125 and introduced electronic enrollment capabilities nationwide.
- In the 2000s, we created our online enrollment system.
Today, we continue to add innovative enrollment technologies and options. After more than 75 years of business, we remain dedicated to our mission of finding ways to help America’s workers when they face unexpected events and challenging times.