Grey and Bruce Mutual Insurance Company was founded June 18, 1878 by Abraham Z. Gottawals at Hanover, Ontario.
Abraham Gottwals, born in Pennsylvania, was also one of the three men who founded Hanover in 1949.

What is today Grey county was originally inhabited by Indians. Abraham Buck was the first to recognize the commercial potential of the land beside the beautiful Saugeen River and he staked out his property. The good agricultural land and quality of timber stands soon attracted newcomers.

Buck and other early settlers divided their properties into village lots and advertised their sale to prospective buyers.

A short time later, Christian Hassenjager arrived with many Waterloo County land hunters of German decent. Hassenjager named the town after his native Hanover in Germany. The third major contributor to arrive was Abraham Gottwals who opened Hanover’s first store. Abraham was civic-minded and took on the responsibilities of serving as the first Postmaster and Justice of the Peace. Abraham also built the first church in Hanover, which was then known as “Old Pop Gottwals’ Church.”

In 1878, when the population of Hanover was nearing one thousand, Abraham Gottwals saw a present and future need for the protection of Hanover’s property owners through the concept of mutual insurance.

Before long most of the areas residents and business people had signed-up with The Grey and Bruce Mutual Fire Insurance Company.
In 1904, Hanover situated in beautiful rolling country in the southwest corner of Grey County, proudly received the status of a town.
The President was Douglas McDougall, and Duncan Campbell served as Secretary. Policyholders included A. Kirkwood, John Standish, Philip McIntosh, John Hicks, William Bailey, Joseph Philiip, Adam buck and H. Hooper. Agents for the Company included John McQueen, James King, Thomas Nichol, and D. McDougall.

The Grey and Bruce Mutual motto was “Fair Play to All” and the Company letterhead carried the words: “Prompt and satisfactory settlement of claims has earned for the Company a reputation that brands it as a leader.”

From 1909 to 1911, Robert Richardson was President, F.W. O’Neil was president from 1912 to 1913 and T.H. O’Neil served as President from 1914 through to 1929.

By 1928, The Grey and Bruce Mutual Fire Insurance Company’s 50th Anniversary, President, T.H, O’Neil was proud to announce new policies totaling $3,078,037 – exceeding the number of policies for the first thirty years of the Company’s operation. Premium notes available in 1928 totalled $172,766.

Doug McKinnon was elected President in 1930 and throughout the 1930’s and 1940’s, the Towns of Grey and Bruce County continued to prosper and The Grey and Bruce Mutual Fire Insurance Company kept pace in the service of its policyholders.

In 1942, Angus McArthur became President of The Grey and Bruce Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and began three generations of the McArthur family offering continuous service to policyholders.

Douglas McArthur was appointed Secretary-Manager of The Grey and Bruce Mutual Fire Insurance Company in 1955, continuing in his father’s footsteps.

In 1959, The Grey and Bruce Mutual was one of the companies which helped form the Farm Mutual Reinsurance Plan (FMRP) which was designed to offer reinsurance to owning Members. As well, The Grey and Bruce Mutual was a member of the Ontario Mutual Insurance Association (OMIA) which serves today as a trade association for Members.

Harry Tanner was elected President in 1961. Robert McKinnion served as President from 1966 to 1969 and Ed Redpath was President for eight years from 1970 to 1976.

The geographical area for insurance coverage written by The Grey and Bruce Mutual Fire Insurance Company was expanding within the Counties of Grey and Bruce and the Company looked to the future of serving the Region.

As the Company matured and responsibilities grew, Douglas McArthur’s son, Albert became Assistant Manager in August 1973, carrying on the McArthur family tradition. The period which followed saw new methods of management and promotion and through the hard work of Grey and Bruce Agents & Brokers, the Company progressed.

The Centennial Anniversary of The Grey and Bruce Mutual Fire Insurance Company’s continual service to policyholders was celebrated in 1978.

The Company’s administration office was situated at 262 Tenth Street, Hanover.

James Cumming was President; Douglas McArthur, Manager, Secretary-Treasurer; and Albert McArthur, Assistant Sectretary-Treasurer. The Board of Directors included James Cumming of Paisley, William Holley of Durham, Elgin Fowlie of Lion’s Head, Leslie Pitt of Chesley, Tom Currie of Priceville, Gordon Sewell of Meaford, Earl Weppler of Hanover, Frank Rick of Trout Creek and Hume Campbell.
The Centennial Dinner, hosted by the Board of Directors of The Grey and Bruce Mutual Fire Insurance Company was held on July 21, 1978. The event was well attended by community leaders including Robert McKinnon, Past President; Harold Pochman, Past Director and representatives of government and the insurance industry. Grey and Bruce Agents/Brokers included Pat Kiely, Bob Nicol, Don May, George Gordon, Frank Hearn, Mel Van Horn, Bev McDermot, and Fred McTavish.

In October, as part of the Centennial celebrations, The Grey and Bruce Mutual hosted the Fall Group Meeting of local farm mutual insurance companies.

Douglas McArthur retired from The Grey and Bruce Mutual after twenty-five years of service to policyholders in 1979. Albert McArthur became Manager, Secretary-Treasurer of Grey and Bruce Mutual the same year. Albert served as President of the Farm Mutual Reinsurance Plan (FMRP) for a two year term from 1987 to 1989 and as a Director for 16 years from 1976 to 1992. Albert was elected to the National Association of Mutual Insurance Co’s. (NAMICO) which is a reinsurer domiciled in Indiana, Indianapolis, and served on that board from 1996 to 2002. Albert was the Canadian representative elected to this NAMICO board, which reinsured mutual companies offering “Errors and Omissions and Directors’ & Officers’ Liability Insurance,” etc.

In order to promote fire safety and to provide support to local fire departments through an awareness program, The Grey and Bruce Mutual Insurance purchased a working 1947 Ford ladder truck in 1980 making The Grey and Bruce Mutual the first insurance company in Canada to own a fire truck. It was replaced in 1991 with a 1966 La France fire truck.

Leslie Pitt was elected President of The Grey and Bruce Mutual from 1981 to 1985. The next year, Lionel Turner became President, followed by Gord Sewell who served through to 1987 until the re-election of Lionel Turner for another term.

During the 1990’s, the distinguished Presidents of The Grey and Bruce Mutual Fire Insurance Company included Lionel Turner, Gord Sewell, Jim Cumming and Art Rivest.

In 1993 Landmark Builders Ltd. Of Hanover, designed and built a new administrative facility for Grey and Bruce Mutual Insurance Company.
Automobile insurance was offered by Grey and Bruce Mutual beginning in 1999.

The new millennium Presidents includes Tom Sweiger, Graham Henry, Mark Hamel and Douglas Teeter.

A proud part of the Ontario mutual insurance industry, Grey & Bruce Mutual is currently a shareholder in the Farm Mutual Reinsurance Plan (FMRP); the Ontario Mutual Insurance Association (OMIA); and is a member of the Canadian Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (CAMIC) and the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC).

Grey & Bruce Mutual Insurance Company continues to be healthy financially with an adequate surplus and realistic growth plan in place. Ontario beef and dairy farms are important to the Ontario economy and Grey & Bruce Mutual is proud of its long association with the men and woman who work those farms for the benefit of all Canadians.

Farm properties and homeowner policies, along with mobile home, seasonal dwelling, and automobile insurance are all part of the mutual protection offered by Grey & Bruce Mutual.

Grey & Bruce Mutual would not have survived if it had not been for the loyalty and dedication of our policyholders, directors, brokers, agents and staff both past and present. We congratulate all for making the past 130 years a success.

Grey & Bruce Mutual is an Ontario insurance company which invests in Canada, hires locally, pays local taxes, and is completely owned by the policyholders who keep the tradition of mutualism alive.

Albert McArthur retired June 30, 2007 & Carol Murray was appointed Manager, Secretary-Treasurer.