Amalgamated Life was founded in 1943 to protect the financial well-being of working men and women. For more than six decades we have been committed to providing workers with exceptional benefit solutions.

In the 1940s, Sidney Hillman, a leading figure in the history of American labor and then-president of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America (ACWA), envisioned a cooperative, labor-oriented means to deliver health and pension benefits to his largely immigrant union membership. It was his idea that the benefits of worker organizations should go beyond negotiating for wages and hours in collective bargaining and be extended to other labor-oriented institutions such as cooperative housing and labor banking.Hillman was able to garner the support of leaders of the men’s apparel industry to bring about his vision, and in 1943 the Amalgamated Life Insurance Company was formed for the purpose of providing life insurance benefits to members of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America.

In 1976, the ACWA merged with the Textile Workers Union of America (TWUA) to form the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union (ACTWU). In 1995, the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) merged with ACTWU to form UNITE. In 2004, UNITE merged with the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union (HERE) to form UNITE HERE. Today, Amalgamated Life continues to provide life insurance, health and disability coverage and retirement benefits to members of UNITE HERE.

Building upon our distinguished heritage, Amalgamated Life has grown into a diversified company whose affiliates include a third party administrator, a medical management company, a computer service company, a full service property and casualty brokerage firm and a printing and graphics company. Working together, our affiliated companies provide a full range of benefit services to our clients. We have maintained a consistent A.M. Best "A" Rating (Excellent) and accreditation by the American Accreditation Health Care Commission/URAC for our medical management. Today, we are truly America's Labor Insurance Company®, offering quality products and services to working people.

Milestones

• In 1943 Amalgamated Life was formed by Sidney Hillman and leaders of the men’s tailored clothing industry.
• In 1987 Amalgamated Life formed, Alicomp, Inc., providing customized information technology solutions; Alicare, Inc., a third party administrator of health and pension benefit plans; and Amalgamated Agency, Inc., the brokerage arm of the company specializing in providing fiduciary liability and other risk management services.
• In January 1992, Amalgamated Life gained approval from the New York State Insurance Department to sell life, health and disability insurance to non-UNITE HERE-sponsored funds. This opened up new opportunities for growth for Amalgamated Life. Our customers are primarily trade union members covered under Taft-Hartley health and pension plans.
• In 1995, a new affiliate, Alicare Medical Management, Inc. (AMM) was formed. Located in Salem, New Hampshire, AMM offers a complete line of services including, utilization management, case management, a 24 hour Nurse Helpline and independent review.