Juniata Mutual Insurance Company began in 1879 in McAlisterville, Pennsylvania, as the Juniata Farmer’s Mutual Fire Insurance Company. The business provided fire damage insurance and slowly began to expand into other forms of coverage for homeowners and farm owners, including standard fire for tenant-occupied properties, mobile homes and some small commercial properties. Today, Juniata Mutual is primarily a personal lines insurer, selling the following types of insurance: Homeowners, Farmowners, Mobile Homeowners, Commercial Fire, Standard Fire, Combination Policies, General Liability, Businessowners, and Inland Marine policies. The company uses policy forms of AAIS and ISO. Currently, there are 12,800 policy holders with a total of $9.1 million in assets.
In the beginning, the company was operated from the secretary’s home until 1966 when the business was moved into a building on Main Street. In May of 1983, Juniata Mutual relocated to its present building on Church Avenue. Juniata Mutual’s number of independent agents has grown throughout the state, from 48 in 1983 to 80. The company’s coverage area has expanded from Juniata, Mifflin, and Huntingdon counties to include areas across the state. Juniata Mutual is operated by a board of directors, elected by the policyholders, includes board chair, Dale S. Shelley, President Robert Eargle Jr, and secretary/treasurer Chris Lenig. Other board members include Gary Huff, David Bomberger, Robert King, Roy Leister, Steve Martin, Lonnie Snyder, and Ryan Leonard. The company’s AM Best Rating is B++.