Washington National Insurance Company

Washington National Insurance Company

• 1911 – Founded: Founded by George and Harry Kendall in Springfield, Illinois, initially selling accident and health insurance to teachers.
• 1923 – Name Change: Renamed Washington National Insurance Company after relocating to Chicago (and later Evanston, IL).
• 1938 – Acquisition: Acquired Great Western Insurance Company, expanding its reach into the western U.S.
• 1981 – Acquisition: Washington National Corp began acquiring United Presidential Life Insurance Company, completing the process over several years.
• 1990s – Financial Struggles: The company faced difficulties due to losses in its disability income block.
• 1997 – Acquisition: Conseco, Inc. (now CNO Financial Group) acquired Washington National for $1.2 billion (including assumed debt).
• 2003 – Restructuring: Following Conseco’s bankruptcy and reorganization, Washington National emerged as a key subsidiary of the reorganized holding company.
• 2000s – Product Focus: Shifted focus to supplemental health (cancer, heart/stroke) and life insurance products sold through independent agents.
• 2013 – Legal Settlement: Settled a long-running class-action lawsuit regarding racial discrimination in pricing of older industrial life policies (a common industry-wide issue from the mid-century).
• Present – Status: A primary subsidiary of CNO Financial Group, headquartered in Carmel, Indiana.

Source: Washington National History | CNO Financial History

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