In the 1870s farmers invested a significant portion of their net worth and livelihood in their buildings, machinery, and cattle.  This left them exposed to substantial loss in the event of a fire or natural disaster, especially considering fire and police departments were not readily accessible to residents in rural areas. On June 25th, 1873, the need to protect their assets prompted twenty-eight residents from Vinland, Oshkosh, Clayton, and Winneconne townships to gather at Clemansville (now the intersection of Brooks Road and County Road T in the Town of Vinland). That meeting led to the formation of a cooperative where members pledged to share the expense of protecting one another's belongings. This concept of "risk sharing" laid the foundation for Vinland Town Mutual to be formed, marking the inception of our insurance company.

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 In 1999, Vinland Town Mutual Insurance Company merged with Winchester Mutual Insurance Company, forming Homestead Mutual Insurance Company. This union aimed to provide better insurance products while maintaining the high level of service expected by policyholders. The year 2000 presented an opportunity for Nekimi Mutual Insurance Company to join Homestead via a merger and Mt Calvary Mutual Insurance joined the fold in 2006.  These unions brought additional resources and policies to diversify insurance risk.

 

 In 2015, Homestead Mutual affiliated with Mutual of Wausau Insurance Corporation, creating an inter-company Risk Pooling Agreement. The goal of this arrangement was to enhance the spread of risk for both companies and leverage economies of scale and resource sharing while maintaining our respective local heritage. At a special meeting held on December 19, 2014, the policyholders of Homestead Mutual overwhelmingly approved both the plan of affiliation and Homestead’s conversion from a town mutual to a non-assessable domestic insurance company. The result of these changes led to the formation of the Mutual of Wausau Group.

 

In 2024, Ellington Mutual Insurance Company, Northeastern Mutual Insurance Company, and Washington Town Mutual Insurance Company recognized the challenges in the insurance market and elected to merge with and into Homestead Mutual.  In addition to further spreading risk, these strategic alliances allowed the pooling of personnel, resources, and capital, representing a significant advancement in our commitment to provide enhanced coverage and outstanding service to our policyholders.