Safeco Insurance Company

1923
Pioneering a new approach to insurance

In 1923, founder and insurance executive Hawthorne K. Dent had a vision to pioneer a whole new approach to insurance. Defying convention, and ignoring doubtful peers, he started the General Insurance Company of America in Seattle, Washington.
People called us “The General.” Although back then the center of insurance activity was located in the Northeast, we began to earn praise for our competitive prices and superb service. Over the years our business spread down the West Coast to Southern California and as far east as Connecticut.

1953
The name SAFECO is born

In 1953, “The General” created a subsidiary called Selective Auto and Fire Insurance Company of America, or SAFECO, as a strategy to compete against fast-growing national companies. The key to our success? Computer automation tools. Just a few years later, we entered the life insurance business. And by the late 1960s, we began to offer mutual funds and commercial lines of credit. We were so successful, “The General” renamed itself Safeco Corporation.

1997
Expanding east

In 1997 we took a major step forward by acquiring American States Financial Corporation. This doubled our agent force, increased our presence east of the Rocky Mountains, and enabled us to become a leading writer of insurance for small- to mid-sized businesses.

2002
Returning to our roots

To recover from a tough financial period in the late 1990s, Safeco refocused on the tenets first set out by our founder H.K. Dent - competitive pricing and disciplined underwriting combined with automated technology tools. In 2002, the strategy proved successful as our financial strength began to recover and grow.

2004
Shifting our focus

In 2004, we sold our life and investments division, focusing our attention fully on property and casualty insurance, as well as surety bonds.

2008
Becoming a Liberty Mutual Insurance company

In September 2008, Safeco became part of Liberty Mutual Insurance. The financial strength of our parent company, combined with a national network of local independent agents, has enabled Safeco to focus exclusively on personal insurance. We offer a comprehensive mix of coverage, pricing and personalized service to individuals and families looking to protect their homes, autos and more.