The Philadelphia Contributionship for the Insurance of Houses from Loss by Fire is the oldest property insurance company in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. It was organized by Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin

Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...

 in 1752, and incorporated in 1768.

The current building at 212 South Fourth Street is a Greek Revival office and dwelling structure, designed by noted architect, Thomas U. Walter

Thomas U. Walter

Thomas Ustick Walter of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was an American architect, the dean of American architecture between the 1820 death of Benjamin Latrobe and the emergence of H.H. Richardson in the 1870s...

, and completed in 1836. The building was declared a National Historic Landmark

National Historic Landmark

A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...

 in 1977.

Notable early directors included:

Name	Occupation
William Coleman William Coleman (judge) William Coleman was a lawyer, municipal official, and judge in colonial Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.He was born in Philadelphia, where he was educated and studied law...	judge
Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...	printer
Samuel Rhoads Samuel Rhoads Samuel Rhoads was a leading citizen of 18th-century Philadelphia. He designed Pennsylvania Hospital and was a master of the Carpenters' Company of Philadelphia....	architect / master carpenter
Philip Syng Philip Syng Philip Syng was, like his namesake father, a renowned silversmith who created fine works in silver and sometimes gold for the rich families of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He also created the Syng inkstand, which was used to sign the United States Declaration of Independence.He was a member of...	silversmith

See also

• History of insurance
  History of insurance
  History of insurance refers to the development of a modern business in insurance against risks, especially regarding ships, cargo, and buildings , death , automobile accidents , and the cost of medical treatment...
  
  
• History of cooperatives in the United States
  History of cooperatives in the United States
  The history of cooperatives in the United States extends to pre-independence times. With the exception of credit unions and mutual banking institutions, most cooperatives have held a comparatively light footprint on the economic history of the United States in comparison to the economies of...
  
  

External links

• Official website
• Key events in the history of Contributionship – official website of the Contributionship Companies