Over 150 Years Ago
A contract with Middlesex Mutual Assurance in Middletown, CT back in 1858 is the earliest record of our company. Our agency code with this organization is #59, meaning this business appointed us as their 59th agency. This record shows that The Stone Agency has had a contract with Middlesex Mutual Assurance over 150 years!
Early 20th Century
Transaction records of The Stone Agency by the Stone family have been found covering the years 1915 to 1937. This book shows claims information for average losses during this period. Lightning, chimney and candle fires were frequent. The payments on these claims averaged about $25. In 1923, a thief stole a Dodge automobile, and the insured was paid $150 for his stolen car.
1950’s to 1970’s
The Stone Agency was owned and operated by the Stone family, located on the Guilford Green, and served the greater Guilford community. In 1971 the business moved to its new location at 35 Boston Street. Three generations of the Stone Family were present at the grand opening: Grandfather Elliot W. Stone, Father Charles Merrill Stone, and the then 24-year-old son, Leverett C. Stone. The agency continued to be a family run business until 1987 when the first non-family member became a partner.
Present Day
and Changing with the Times
The challenge in the 1990’s was to make the transition from a family run business to a corporate run business. This evolution required planning, formalizing procedures, making staff assessments and developing major automation upgrades. In this period, the company recruited a Commercial Lines Sales Manager and a Personal Lines Sales Manager. The Commercial Lines position was held by Robert J. Oman, CPCU, and the Personal Lines by Douglas F. Danaher, CIC. A very large agency in New Haven employed both of our co-owners, helping them bring “bigger thinking” to the community-based Stone Agency.
As an agency, we continue to grow and improve while remaining independent. We are meeting the challenges of being a small business when most small companies have been forced to sell, merge and consolidate. Certain things change with time, like the cost of a fire policy, or the size of a claim settlement, but there are also things that have remained consistent. For us, service to the Greater New Haven and Shoreline communities as an independent agency for over 150 years has been our consistent promise.