In 1940, Jim Crawford, a claims manager at Liberty Mutual, was watching milk trucks deliver milk in his neighborhood and observed that milk from different companies would be more efficiently distributed, at less cost, if an independent company delivered the milk for several dairies. In turn, Jim applied this theory to claims management, posturing that an independent claims adjuster service could offer insurance companies a more cost-effective and efficient means for handling claims than in-house adjusters. Jim officially launched Crawford & Company, offering independent claims management services, on May 27, 1941.
Over the last 79 years, the company has grown from a small business in Columbus, Georgia to a global enterprise of 9,000 employees with 700 offices in 70 countries. We still owe a debt of gratitude to the Crawford family, who are still active members of our board of directors today. On Founder’s Day, we celebrate the life and legacy of Jim Crawford and give thanks for the fulfilling work we do helping restore and enhance lives, businesses and communities. In one of his first memos, Jim outlined Crawford’s guiding principles:
- Honesty and integrity above all
- Hard work pays
- Knowledge and creativity is power
These key principles still guide us today. Though many of us are still honoring social distancing protocols across the globe, we weren’t about to let that stop us from celebrating this momentous day in our company’s history. We asked our employees to tell or show us what Crawford means to them, from their homes and their hearts. Take a look at what they told us.
We would also like to thank all of our employees, clients and partners for supporting Crawford for nearly 80 years. We wouldn’t be here without all of you. Happy Founder’s Day! Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay strong.
