American Fidelity Assurance

Headquarters: 2000 N. Classen Blvd.
Oklahoma City, OK 73106
Employees: 1,385
CEO: Bill Cameron
Privately held

Website: http://www.afadvantage.com

Career Site

American Fidelity Assurance Company (AFA) is the second-largest private, family-owned life insurance company in the nation.

The Oklahoma City-based company serves more than one million customers in 49 states and 20 countries. Since 1982, AFA has consistently been rated "A+" by A. M. Best Company, one of the leading insurance company rating services in America.

AFA is now the largest provider of voluntary disability insurance to teachers across the United States.

The company was named one of the Best Companies to Work For in America by Fortune magazine. It also offers annuity plans, supplemental health insurance, accident protection insurance and health savings accounts.

In 2005, AFA had revenues of $611 million and assets of $4.2 billion.

History

Bill Cameron's grandfather, C.W. Cameron, and his father, C.B. Cameron, started AFA in 1960 as an outgrowth of an insurance agency C.W. had operated since 1930. The elder Cameron's humble beginnings make the present-day success of the company all the more remarkable.

The oldest of seven children, C.W. was raised on a small tenant farm near Mangum, Oklahoma. When his father was disabled, C.W. dropped out of school at age 14 to help take care of the family and run the farm. He later worked odd jobs as a carpenter, cotton picker, and part-time bank clerk. Life was uncertain and financial struggles persisted.

C.W. worked his way up to assistant cashier at the First National Bank of Altus, earning $135 a month. He noticed that insurance salesmen seemed to bring in larger paychecks, so he decided to try that line of work. He partnered with a farmer in starting the Boise and Cameron agency in 1930. The business prospered until the Great Depression took its toll, forcing Boise to leave the agency in 1932.

Using his savings, C.W. bought one-third of an agency in Davidson and sold fire and casualty and disability insurance. He also sold insurance for other firms, but his big break came when he started selling insurance for North American Accident and Health Insurance Company of Chicago in 1933. C.W. sold his interest in the Davidson agency and became the local agent for North American. Two years later he moved to Oklahoma City to become North American's general agent for the state of Oklahoma. In a short time, C.W. distinguished himself as the top-selling agent managing the most profitable North American branch in the nation. By the mid-1940s, he was the general agent for four states.

As the agency prospered, the need arose for more office space. Cameron constructed his own office buildings on Classen Boulevard in 1954, building one of the first suburban office buildings in Oklahoma City. In 1959, C.W. and Gene McCrory started the affiliated North American Insurance Agency to focus on Property and Casualty insurance.

The North American Company in Chicago experienced changes in ownership in the 1950s and was eventually acquired by the CIT Group. Since CIT wanted to focus on selling individual insurance, Cameron proposed that he take on all of the accident and health business previously handled by the Cameron Agency for North American. His son, C.B., had recently returned home from the Air Force, and the pair decided to start their own insurance underwriter. In 1960, American Fidelity was born.

Benefits

Some of the perks American Fidelity offers include:
- On-site Fitness Center
- On-site Training Center
- On-site Banking Facilities
- On-site Deli
- Referral Bonus
- Discount Event Tickets
- Off-site Fitness and Wellness reimbursements
Some of the benefits include:
- Health/Dental
- Vision
- Flexible Reimbursement Accounts for Medical/Dependent Daycare Expenses
- 401k Savings Plan with matching company contribution
- Employer contributed Retirement Plan
- Pay for performance compensation
- Holiday bonus
- Business casual environment

Updated January 1, 2007