Union Central Life Insurance Company Highlights
Current Corporate Owner & Status
- Status: Merged/Inactive. The Union Central Life Insurance Company no longer exists as a separate legal entity.
- Current Owner: Ameritas Life Insurance Corp.
- Note: Effective July 1, 2014, Union Central Life merged into Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. All former Union Central policies are now backed and administered by Ameritas.
Early History (1867–1950)
- 1867: The Union Central Life Insurance Company is founded in Cincinnati, Ohio.
- Significance: It was the first life insurance company chartered in the state of Ohio.
- Name Origin: The name "Union Central" was chosen to honor the preservation of the Union following the end of the Civil War.
- Key Founders/Investors: The company was backed by prominent Cincinnati businessmen, including John Peck (who bought Policy No. 1) and early investors William Procter and James Gamble (founders of Procter & Gamble).
- 1913: The company completes construction of the Union Central Life Insurance Building (now the PNC Tower) in downtown Cincinnati.
- Architectural Note: At the time of completion, it was the fifth-tallest building in the world and the tallest building outside of New York City.
- 1940s–1950s: Union Central establishes itself as a major mutual insurer, owned by its policyholders, with a strong reputation in the Midwest.
Mergers, Restructuring & The Ameritas Era (2003–Present)
2003: Divesting Group Business
- 2003: Union Central sells its Group Life and Disability block of business to American United Life (AUL), which is now part of OneAmerica.
- Strategy: This allowed Union Central to focus exclusively on individual life insurance and annuities.
2005–2006: The "UNIFI" Merger
- 2005: Union Central reorganizes from a mutual insurance company into a Mutual Insurance Holding Company structure.
- 2006 (January 1): Union Central Mutual Holding Company merges with Ameritas Acacia Mutual Holding Company.
- Outcome: The new parent organization is named UNIFI Mutual Holding Company.
- Impact: While Union Central remained a separate brand and legal entity headquartered in Cincinnati, it was now part of the same corporate family as Ameritas and Acacia.
2009: Redomestication
- 2009: Union Central moves its legal domicile (state of incorporation) from Ohio to Nebraska.
- Reason: To align with its parent company, Ameritas, which is based in Lincoln, Nebraska.
2012: Rebranding
- 2012: The parent company, UNIFI, changes its brand name back to Ameritas Mutual Holding Company to unify its marketing under the stronger "Ameritas" name.
2014: The Final Merger
- 2014 (July 1): The Union Central Life Insurance Company (and Acacia Life) officially merges into Ameritas Life Insurance Corp.
- Result: The "Union Central" legal entity ceases to exist. Policyholders were notified that their policies were now direct obligations of Ameritas Life Insurance Corp.
Contact & Home Office Information
Since Union Central is now Ameritas, you must contact Ameritas for service.
- Current Home Office (Ameritas):5900 O StreetLincoln, NE 68510
- Former Home Office (Historical):1876 Waycross RoadCincinnati, OH 45240
- Phone (Policy Service): 1-800-745-1112
- Website: www.ameritas.com
Sources of Information
- Ameritas Life Insurance Corp: Press releases from 2006 (UNIFI merger) and 2014 (Legal entity merger).
- Nebraska Department of Insurance: Regulatory filings approving the 2009 redomestication and 2014 merger.
- Cincinnati Historical Society: Archives regarding the 1867 founding and the 1913 Union Central Tower.
- SEC Filings: 2014 filings by Ameritas Life Insurance Corp detailing the absorption of Union Central assets and liabilities.
