...A Look Back at History
The history of our Company dates back to May 2, 1877 when a group of businessmen gathered together to hold a meeting to organize the Jefferson County Patrons Fire Relief Association and prepared our first Articles and By-laws. Shortly thereafter on May 27, 1877 those Articles and By-laws were adopted authorizing the printing of applications and certificates.
On August 21, 1877 we approved applications in the amount of $101,150 and we issued policies to 282 insureds.
Another milestone in our history was June 4, 1878 when the company held its first Annual Meeting at the Watertown Grange Building. From that point on the company continued to grow and on March 6, 1958 we changed our name to North Country Cooperative Insurance Company. We continued to grow through a series of mergers. On December 19, 1960 we merged with Oneida County Grange Cooperative Fire Insurance Company of Westernville, New York. Then on January 1, 1984 we merged with Adirondack Cooperative Insurance Company and changed our name to North Country Adirondack Cooperative Insurance Company.
The next few years saw several additional mergers take place. It was on January 1, 1985 that we merged with Farmers Fire & Lightning Insurance Company of Oneida County and two years later on January 1, 1987 merged with Westmoreland Cooperative Insurance Association. On October 1, 1991 we merged with St. Lawrence County Farmer's Insurance Company and changed our name to North Country Insurance Company as it is known today.
Several more years went by when on July 1, 1993 we acquired the premium writings or Cooperative Insurance Company of Western New York and opened up Western New York Branch Office.
During our early years we operated as an Assessment Co-operative until September 1, 1996 when we converted to an Advance Premium Co-operative. On that same date we also acquired the premium writings of Chenango Mutual Insurance Company and opened an office in Norwich New York. The most recent page in our history was written on January 1, 1998 when we merged with Heritage Mutual Insurance.
In September of 1999 the Company closed all branch offices and consolidated all of its operations in Watertown, New York.