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
