History feature – Significant Fires in the Industrial Revolution

When the Industrial Revolution arrived, fire insurance practices were not fit for purpose to keep up with the inventions, innovations and new processes. Large mills and factories were being built across the country, new machinery… Read More »History feature – Significant Fires in the Industrial Revolution

In May, the Brazilian museum community celebrated the 21st National Week of Museums. We joined up with the programme and partnered with Memória MAG Seguros. This article, by Alberto Machado, is about the digitised archives… Read More »Object of the month

By Sandra McDonald, President of the Insurance Institute of Manchester In April 2023, the Insurance Museum exhibited at a special conference to celebrate 150 years of the Insurance Institute of Manchester (IIM). The IIM was… Read More »Insurance Institute of Manchester, 150 years

Ledger book from the de Rougemont Syndicate, Lloyd’s of London: Brazil and the River Plate   It is Archives’ Week in Brazil and the Insurance Museum were invited to participate at the invitation of Memoria MAG… Read More »Brazil and the River Plate

Written by Alberto Machado The Montepio Geral de Economia dos Servidores do Estado (General Savings and Loans Fund for State Employees) was the first Brazilian social security institution with an official and organized legal basis.… Read More »MAG Seguros, the beginning of social security in Brazil

I’m writing this piece as we approach the coronation of King Charles III at the weekend. It wasn’t that long ago, 14th November 2022 in fact, that we featured an article on picture postcards published… Read More »Coronations

The largest insurance claim to arise from the Star Wars films occurred when Princess Leia, Carrie Fisher, passed away. Disney had placed a policy on her before she signed a three-picture deal, taking out $41,000,000 of… Read More »May the 4th be with you

So how much will it cost? I was chatting the other day to one of my Chief Executive mates as I’m prone to do these days. I was bringing him up to date on the… Read More »Chairman’s Message

Here at the Insurance Museum, we are in the last stages of developing the next online gallery. Powered by the Industrial Revolution continues the story of Fire Insurance and follows the expansion of fire insurance… Read More »Coming Soon! The latest Insurance Museum online gallery

These payment tokens, known as ‘Pumpers’ Tokens‘ and sometimes known as ‘Beer Tokens’, were used by the insurance company fire brigades to encourage assistance from the public, when putting out large fires. By the later… Read More »“Beer–Oh”, and Pumpers’ Tokens