May 15, 2026 Newswires

MassMutual turns 175, Marking Generations of Delivering on its Commitments

Business Wire

Milestone highlights the strength of mutuality and the company’s purpose: helping people secure their future and protect the ones they love

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
MassMutual today marked its 175th anniversary, honoring a legacy built around one idea that has endured since its founding: when people look out for one another, everyone is stronger.

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Founded on May 15, 1851 in Springfield, Massachusetts by 31 investors who pooled together $100,000 to create a company to help their friends and neighbors protect their loved ones, MassMutual has grown into one of America’s largest mutual life insurance companies, serving more than four million customers¹ with over $1 trillion in life insurance in force¹, more than $34 billion in capital strength¹, and $584 billion in assets under management. ²

“At its heart, this milestone is about the people who rely on us and the commitments we have kept to the millions of families throughout our history,” said Roger Crandall, Chairman, President, and CEO of MassMutual. “From the moment we issued our first policy, we have been a steady source of strength and support for moments of change, challenge, and celebration — and we are proud to carry that responsibility forward for generations to come.”

As MassMutual celebrates its 175^th year, the company remains as committed today as it was in 1851 to delivering on its purpose: We help people secure their future and protect the ones they love. The driving force behind MassMutual’s ability to deliver on this purpose is its dedicated employees and more than 6,000 affiliated financial professionals across the U.S. who serve individuals, families, and business owners.

MassMutual: A mutual company built for long-term policyowner value

As a mutual company, MassMutual focuses on the long-term interests of its policyowners and customers. Through eras of extraordinary change, the company has honored its commitments, paying more than $10 billion in insurance and annuity benefits last year and more than $70 billion in the last decade.³

One benefit of being a mutual company is MassMutual’s ability to share its success with eligible participating policyowners. While dividends are not guaranteed, MassMutual has paid a dividend every year to eligible participating policyowners since 1869 – and the company’s cumulative dividend payments have exceeded $50 billion through 2025. Building on this, MassMutual will distribute an estimated record $2.9 billion to eligible participating policyowners in 2026.

Celebrating its 175^th year: Honoring MassMutual’s culture of people helping people

Building on more than $230 million that MassMutual and the MassMutual Foundation have given back to the community in the last decade,³ the company’s legacy of people helping people and supporting the community will continue throughout MassMutual’s yearlong celebration, commencing with the following:

The MassMutual Foundation gifted $1.5 million to employees and eligible financial professionals to donate to causes they care about. So far this year, more than $700,000 has been donated to over 2,500 nonprofit organizations, including children’s hospitals and pet rescues, through this special $175 per-employee gift.

Earlier this month, 1,000 MassMutual employees contributed over 2,000 volunteer hours in support of nearly 50 nonprofit organizations as part of MassMutual’s fourth annual Live Mutual Week where employees came together to lend their time, skills, and expertise to acts of service by making improvements, repairs, and connections in the community. Over the last four years, employees have volunteered a total of 6,500 hours during MassMutual’s Live Mutual Week.

“Wherever the world takes us, one thing is certain for MassMutual: a strong, enduring foundation and bold, ambitious approach will continue to be a vital part of who we are and how we show up in the world – one person, family, and community at a time,” concluded Crandall.

To honor its legacy and inspire what’s next, MassMutual invites readers to explore a newly released timeline of historic moments and watch a short commemorative film that brings the company’s enduring purpose to life.

About MassMutual (Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company)

For 175 years, MassMutual has stood beside generations through life’s defining moments, guided by a clear, enduring purpose: We help people secure their future and protect the ones they love. What began in 1851 as a bold idea rooted in neighbors helping neighbors has grown into one of America’s largest mutual life insurance companies, serving more than four million customers¹ with over $1 trillion in life insurance in force¹ and $584 billion in assets under management,² all built on a foundation of more than $34 billion in capital strength.¹

MassMutual offers a broad range of products and services across protection, accumulation, wealth management, and retirement income, including annuities through our leading annuity provider, MassMutual Ascend. These solutions reach people through our expansive distribution, which is anchored by our dedicated network of affiliated financial professionals. For nearly two centuries, our offerings have helped people build, protect, and pass on what means the most to them. Through eras of extraordinary change, we have honored our commitments, paying upwards of $70 billion in insurance and annuity benefits over the past decade.³

MassMutual is strengthened by a diversified portfolio of strategic businesses and investments – including Barings, our global alternative asset management subsidiary – which enables us to deliver greater long-term value to our policyowners. MassMutual has a longstanding, successful approach to bringing together deep life insurance expertise and advanced asset management capabilities, which put us at the forefront of this trend and helped pioneer growth beyond traditional industry boundaries. Through Barings, we have robust asset origination capabilities that have helped us achieve exceptional long-term performance for our policyowners.

Through it all, our scale provides strength; our mutuality provides alignment; and our purpose ensures we do not lose sight of who we serve. To learn more, visit massmutual.com.

¹As of December 31, 2025

²Assets Under Management (AUM) include assets and certain external investment funds managed by MassMutual subsidiaries, including Barings and MassMutual Ascend as of December 31, 2025

³2016-2025