Our History

North Star Mutual Insurance Company originated in 1920 as North Star Farmer’s Mutual in Redwood Falls, Minnesota and was managed by A.D. Stewart. When he died five years later, A.E. Anderson took over management and moved the headquarters to Cottonwood, Minnesota. Stable, consistent, and financially sound, the company has only had three chief executives since then: W.E. Anderson 1950-1973, Cliff Hanson 1973-2001, and Jeff Mauland, North Star’s current Chief Executive Officer.

Milestones in North Star Mutual history include:
1920 – Incorporated February 15 as North Star Farmer’s Mutual to provide crop insurance in Minnesota.

1925 – Discontinued crop hail insurance and began to insure farm buildings and personal property.

1950 – Expanded to insure homes and businesses for all potential hazards. Meanwhile, the company strengthened its relationship with township mutual insurers in Minnesota by providing wind and hail coverage to augment the coverage provided by the township mutual.

1954 – Name changed to North Star Mutual Insurance Company to better reflect the expanded scope of coverage provided.

1961 – Growth prompted a need to spread risk. To accomplish this, territorial expansion began when a book of business was assumed in Oklahoma, written through the Oklahoma General Agency.

1962 – Package of Policies (POP) introduced to offer a single insurance package including both North Star Mutual coverages and the Township Mutual coverages.

1975 – Began writing in South Dakota and later, in North Dakota in 1981. Product line was broadened with Farmowner’s policy in those states.

1984 – Walle Mutual Insurance Company of Grand Forks, North Dakota, affiliated with North Star and then merged with the company October 1, 2000.

1990 – Began writing in Nebraska.

1991 - Brought development of the Private Passenger Auto insurance line and a new affiliate company: North Star General Insurance Company.

1995 – To serve the needs of territorial and product expansion, a corporate headquarters building addition brings total office space to over 50,000 square feet.

2007 – Added Commercial Auto insurance to the product line.

2008 – Authorized to write Property and Casualty insurance in the states of Iowa and Wisconsin.