Banner Life Insurance Company and William Penn Life Insurance Company of New York operate as the twin engines of the Legal & General America machine. These well respected insurance companies administer and deliver the highest level of products and customer service across the Americas under our global brand name. Our companies have grown together with a shared success since the 1980s. Presently, Banner Life Insurance Company insures people in 49 states, including D.C., while William Penn Life Insurance Company solely operates in the state of New York.
More than 1.5 million policyholders in the US trust our brands to protect their family because at the heart of our business is a genuine concern for people. We deeply believe in the value of life insurance protection because we know how beneficial it can be. You can count on us to help provide financial security for your loved ones in the event you are no longer here to do that yourself. We are financially strong, fiscally responsible and committed to business practices that will make sure we will be here when you need us most.
1981: Legal & General Group forms Legal & General America to serve American customers directly and buys Government Employees Life Insurance Company (GELICO) and its NY affiliate.
1982: The GELICO name is changed to today’s Banner Life Insurance Company.
1989: Legal & General Group buys William Penn Life Insurance Company of New York (whose parent company is Banner Life Insurance Company).
Present Day: Banner Life and William Penn are still the companies underwriting and issuing our insurance policies but work together under our Legal & General America umbrella.