NAMIC Raises $476,000 ForWTC Relief Funds

The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies willdonate $476,000 in fees from its cancelled international conventiontowards relief efforts for the victims and their families of theSept. 11 terrorist attacks.

NAMIC, headquartered in Indianapolis, indicated that it willdonate $119,000 each to the American Red Cross Disaster ReliefFund, the Twin Towers Fund, The New York Times 9/11 Neediest Fundand the Salvation Army relief efforts.

“The mutual insurance industry in America was founded byBenjamin Franklin in 1752,” noted James A. Blum, NAMIC chairman andpresident of Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company of Fort Wayne,Ind.

“Mutual, to us, means working together,” he continued. “Thistragedy strikes at the very heart of all our members and, on theeve of the 250th anniversary of mutual insurance in America, wewanted to make a contribution to the victims and survivors of theSept. 11 attacks.”

NAMIC President Larry Forrester said that his group representsmore than 1,200 member insurance companies, “with the mission ofrestoring people's property and livelihoods after they havesuffered a loss. Our country suffered a terrible loss on Sept. 11,and we hope these funds contributed by our member companies helpvictims' families and relief agencies working at the disastersites.”

Mr. Forrester indicated that since 1895, NAMIC has suspended itsannual convention only twice, and that was during World War II.

“We hope our contribution will join with others to providecomfort and support to the victims' families, relief workers andtheir communities,” he said.

According to Mr. Forrester, member companies “overwhelmingly”supported the NAMIC board's suggestion that the group donateregistration, exhibitor and sponsor fees from the 106th Conventionto relief efforts. “In addition, more than 100 NAMIC membercompanies and staff not registered for the convention steppedforward to contribute toward the relief efforts,” he said.

Reproduced from National Underwriter Property &Casualty/Risk & Benefits Management Edition, October 22, 2001.Copyright 2001 by The National Underwriter Company in the serialpublication. All rights reserved.Copyright in this article as anindependent work may be held by the author.

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