Who invented insurance first?
Insurance in some form is as old as historical society. So-called bottomry contracts were known to merchants of Babylon as early as 4000–3000 bce. Bottomry was also practiced by the Hindus in 600 bce and was well understood in ancient Greece as early as the 4th century bce.
Where and when did the concept of insurance start?
What some consider the first written insurance policy was found on an ancient Babylonian monument. In Medieval Europe, the guild system emerged, with members paying into a pool that covered their losses. In 1600s, ships sailing to the New World would secure multiple investors to spread the risk around.
Who invented the insurance industry?
The first insurance company in the U.S. dates back to colonial days: the Philadelphia Contributionship, co-founded by Ben Franklin in 1752. Throughout U.S. history, new types of insurance have evolved as new risks (such as the automobile) have emerged.