In 1864, Hartford businessman James G. Batterson met a local banker, James E. Bolter, in the post office. Bolter had heard that Batterson and several fellow townsmen were organizing a company to introduce accident insurance to the United States. He asked Batterson how much he would charge to insure him for his four-block walk home. “Two cents,” Batterson said.

Today, that two-cent “premium” is a souvenir treasured by Travelers. Batterson served as president of Travelers from our founding on April 1, 1864, until his death in 1901.