Our History: A Legacy of Mutuality Since 1851

OUR HISTORY

A legacy of mutuality

MassMutual was founded on May 15, 1851, for one purpose — to help people secure their future and protect the ones they love. A lot has changed since that day, but our spirit of mutuality lives on in everything we do and everything we are. Explore our origins, get to know what we’ve built, and learn about where we’re headed.

We’ve stood by our policyowners and customers during the Great Depression, the Great Recession, and everything in between. That’s over 170 years of people helping people.

Our History

Principled Action Impacts Performance

Investment Philosophy

We’ve learned a lot over the last 171 years

Our approach to investing is like our company: strong and stable. We prioritize diversification, prudence, and value, achieving solid returns even in unpredictable markets. Take a deeper dive into our approach.

Long-term vision adds up to long-term value

MassMutual has paid dividends to eligible participating policyowners every year since 1869¹.

since

1851

we've been helping people secure their financial future and protect the ones they love

more than

$1.0T

of life insurance protection in force as of 12/31/23

named for the

6^th

year in a row as a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion according to the Disability Equality Index®

delivered

$9.1B

insurance and annuity benefits paid to policyowners and other customers in 2023

What's behind MassMutual's financial strength

Being mutual guides our actions today, as it has throughout our history.

MassMutual finds ways to help, both expected and unexpected. It’s what we do. It’s why we do it. Living mutual means relying on each other and looking out for one another. It’s a way of doing business. It’s our way of life.

Purpose continues to power our success

Mutuality is more than a nice idea — it’s a gateway to greater protection, stronger communities, and more secure futures. Our annual report tells the story.

Read our Annual Report

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A better world starts locally

Financial resilience is critical to building strong neighborhoods and communities. The MassMutual Foundation leverages the power of collaboration and social capital to help communities succeed and thrive. Discover how we’re helping to create financially healthy futures for all.

Learn More

Taking action today, protecting tomorrow

We’re committed to running our business sustainably so we can serve our policyowners and communities for centuries to come.

Learn More

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Helping you secure your future

When you work with a financial professional, you’ll have an advocate in your corner, someone who understands your unique financial needs and family situation — and how to tailor a solution around both.

Find A Financial Professional

¹Dividends are not guaranteed.