200 Years of Protection Against Bankruptcy, Bad Luck, and Misfortunes
It really is a beautiful anniversary book that Mobiliar Insurance has treated itself to on the occasion of its 200th anniversary. The cover simply reads “200,” as Mobiliar was founded in Bern in 1826 and remains Switzerland’s oldest private insurance company to this day. But the best part is that anyone can order this entertaining read for free.
Over 150 pages, the history of Mobiliar is told, chronicled, and brought to life with vivid graphics. Among other things, it features a timeline that begins in 1826—the same year that the match was invented and the Swiss Society for Mutual Insurance of Household Goods Against Fire Damage was founded. It would be a stretch to draw a connection there. In 1960, Mobiliar entered the auto insurance market with partial coverage because motorization and the need for insurance were growing rapidly. Comprehensive coverage followed in 1966, and auto liability insurance in 1978.
Incidentally, the most commonly insured vehicles at Mobiliar are those between 6 and 10 years old (31.4 percent), while classic cars account for only 2.6 percent of insurance policies. It’s an expensive business when nature strikes: In July 2009, hailstones caused 400 million francs in damage to vehicles. Flooding is also destructive, but Mobiliar weathered such disasters and helped its policyholders, true to its slogan, “Known for being accommodating.” Despite many success stories, the anniversary publication does not gloss over either a social media backlash regarding auto insurance for foreigners or the 10-million-disaster involving a foreign investment in the United States.
Beyond the colorful chronology, Mobiliar shares some outlandish quotes from policyholders explaining their accidents, such as, “My car was just driving straight ahead, which generally leads to veering off the road when taking a curve.” Or, “On my way home, I accidentally drove into the wrong driveway and crashed into a tree that isn’t even on my property.” More than enough inspiration for the well-known TV commercials featuring the checkered accident reports, which have been appearing in ever-changing variations for more than 25 years.
