| (1877
- 1951) |
| Inducted: |
1985 |
| Region: |
MidWest |
| Industry: |
Finance
Insurance |
|
George Mecherle started his career as a farmer. When he joined an auto insurance company, he was bothered that farmers were charged the same as city drivers, even though they had fewer accidents. Because his company would not lower farmer’s rates, he established State Farm Insurance. He offered discounts of up to 30 percent to farmers and other low-risk drivers and billed customers for six months rather than a year in advance. In 20 years he made State Farm the largest auto insurer. Today it is the largest property and casualty insurer in the United States. |
