Fast Facts
About Foresters
Since our founding in 1874, ForestersTM has been helping families live for today, plan for tomorrow and make a difference along the way. We champion the well-being of families through quality life insurance, unique member benefits and inspiring community activities. Foresters is celebrating its 135th anniversary in 2009.
The Foresters difference
- Foresters customers are members.
- Foresters share its financial strength with its more than 650,000 members through complimentary benefits that help eligible members with life, health and educational needs, such as competitive scholarships, today and in the future.
- Foresters also shares its time, talent and financial strength with communities and inspires others to do the same, delivering opportunities to make a difference through community service and volunteering.
Organization
- Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Operates in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom
- In April 2008, Unity Life became a wholly owned subsidiary of Foresters and represents Foresters in the Canadian market as Unity Life of Canada, a Foresters Company.
Major proprietary products
- Life insurance products: individual term, whole life and universal life
- Annuities and investment products‡
- Foresters insurance, annuities and investment products are offered through independent distributors in North America and career agents in the U.K.
Executive Leadership
- George Mohacsi, President and Chief Executive Officer
- Euan Allison, Group Managing Director, United Kingdom
- Christopher Pinkerton, President, U.S. Division
- Tony Poole, President, Canada Division
Financial strength
- Foresters Audited Balance Sheet as at December 31, 2008:
- Assets: more than
| $6.2 billion* (see footnote) |
- Liabilities:
| $4.9 billion |
- Surplus:
| $1.2 billion |
Source: Foresters 2008 Financial Highlights
- 'A' (Excellent) rating by A.M. Best**(see footnote)
- Premium income by country: U.S. 42%, Canada 22%, U.K. 36%
- Investments: Bonds represent 77% of total invested assets and are closely matched to the duration and profile of the policy liabilities they support. Equity investments represent 16% of total invested assets.
- For Unity Life of Canada financial information, visit
www.unitylife.ca
Competitive scholarships
- Up to 500 competitive scholarships are awarded each year to eligible Foresters members or their dependent children a maximum of five may be chosen as Ken Peterson award winners for demonstrating exceptional leadership, extraordinary effort and significant ability to overcome adversity.
- For more information, visit www.foresters.com/membership/scholarships.asp
Community support
- In 2008, Foresters investment in fraternal operations totaled $27 million. This includes funding of branch operations, national and local community partnerships, staff time and benefits to members, such as scholarships, fun family events and critical illness benefit.
- Foresters community partners include Children's Miracle Network in North America and the U.K., Prevent Child Abuse America, Association of Children's Hospices and CLIC Sargent in the U.K, as well as hundreds of local and regional not-for-profit organizations focused on children and their families.
Volunteerism
- Foresters offers members, distribution partners and employees opportunities to get involved in their communities, help not-for-profit organizations and expand their knowledge and skills through volunteering.
- In 2007, Foresters members and staff volunteered 950,000 hours of their personal time, assisting more than 400 national and local charities and impacting the lives and well-being of millions of children and their families in North America and the U.K.
- 320 volunteer branches located across North America and the U.K.
*All figures in Canadian dollars.
**** Foresters financial strength, as measured by A.M. Best Company, is rated "A" (Excellent). An "A" (Excellent) rating is assigned to companies that have a strong ability to meet their ongoing obligations to policyholders and have, on balance, excellent balance sheet strength, operating performance and business profile when compared to the standards established by A.M. Best Company. In assigning our rating, A.M. Best stated that Foresters rating outlook is "stable", which means it is unlikely to change in the near future, assuming our financial strength is maintained and our operations grow.
†A.M. Best assigns ratings from A++ to F, A++ being superior ratings and A and A- being excellent ratings.
‡Investments offered through Foresters Equity Services, Inc. Member FINRA, SIPC, 6640 Lusk Blvd., Suite A-202, San Diego, CA 92121 T. 858 550 4844, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Independent Order of Foresters.
| Media Contact: |
Irene Shimoda
Director, Public Relations
416 429 3000 ext 4651 or
877 664 6602 (toll free in North America)
Email: ishimoda@foresters.com
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