Ever wondered how insurance intersects with slavery in America? My latest episode of Insurance vs History dives into the world of life insurance and American slavery. I'll reveal how life insurance on enslaved people helped historians and genealogists uncover stories that few textbooks ever mention. From lost documents to innovative legislation, we'll explore the surprising ways insurance records have brought new transparency to America's past.

And check out my other episodes on insurance history, including CEO pay in the insurance industry, pollution, and other historical insurance events!

Selected Sources:

Great Places to check out the documentation itself:

• https://thebpog.org/slave-era-insurance-policies/

  • This is great as it also links to the archival info other states may have that was unrelated to government legislation related disclosure requirements

• https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/150-other-prog/10-seir/upload/PolicyDocuments.pdf

  • This is a list of the CA report policy documents

• https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/150-other-prog/10-seir/slave-names.cfm

  • Enslaved persons names and information in a chart from the CA report

• https://www.vpm.org/news/2022-06-20/researchers-work-to-honor-enslaved-coal-miners-of-chesterfield

  • Information on Chesterfield, Virginia where many of the enslaved miners listed in this documentation were forced to work

• https://insurance.maryland.gov/Pages/newscenter/SlaveryEraOrders.aspx

  • Click on the appendixes to see the responses from various insurance companies and other information.

Hire me to speak at your meeting! I can talk about the topic of your choice, or I can talk about the history of insurance and why insurance matters. Reach out for booking info or just to connect at [email protected]

Help keep independent podcasts going by contributing to my production costs: See my page at Buy Me a Coffee: Insurance vs History is Exploring all the ways Insurance changed History...or failed to.

Website: www.insurancevshistory.com

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredithbrasher

Music Credits:

Boulangerie by Jeremy Sherman, courtesy of NeoSounds: Boulangerie, LynneMusic | NeoSounds music library

Insurance Festivus: Real Grievances, 23 and Me Updates, and Tesla Turmoil Happy Festivus—it's time to air all our insurance grievances! Featuring real listener comments, updates on the 23andMe bankruptcy (cyber insurers, anyone?), and the wild world of Tesla Insurance, this is a great way to close out the year.

Selected References:

https://apnews.com/article/whistleblower-china-surveillance-tech-silicon-valley-adbd0bcfbb0892bfcb85948acb3f515f

https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/tesla-insurance-unit-sued-over-alleged-auto-coverage-underpayments-2025-11-05/

Hire me to speak at your meeting! I can talk about the topic of your choice, or I can talk about the history of insurance and why insurance matters. Reach out for booking info or just to connect at [email protected]

Help keep independent podcasts going by contributing to my production costs: See my page at Buy Me a Coffee: Insurance vs History is Exploring all the ways Insurance changed History...or failed to.

Website: www.insurancevshistory.com

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredithbrasher

Music Credits:

Boulangerie by Jeremy Sherman, courtesy of NeoSounds: Boulangerie, LynneMusic | NeoSounds music library

Insurance CEO Pay: What's Fair, What's History, and What's Next?

I started trying to answer one question: is Insurance CEO pay fair? and ended up with a massive project. In this episode, I dig into the history of executive pay, share eye-opening stats from AIG, and ask for your help with figuring out who gets paid what and how that's changed over time. Plus, submit your insurance grievance for inclusion in my holiday Festivus episode!

Selected References:

1. https://www.insurancejournal.com/magazines/mag-features/2025/06/16/827459.htm

2. https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/guides/insurance-ceo-salary-how-much-do-executives-of-the-top-insurers-earn-467192.aspx

3. https://consumerfed.org/press_release/insurance-ceos-get-27-salary-and-bonus-bump-while-consumers-see-premium-hikes-and-non-renewals/

4. https://www.businessinsurance.com/gallery/highest-paid-insurance-executives-2025/

5. https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/news-insights/articles/2025/8/neuehealths-mikan-tops-insurtech-ceo-pay-list-in-2024-92202141

6. https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/news-insights/articles/2025/8/arch-capitals-papadopoulo-tops-pc-insurer-ceo-pay-list-in-2024-92167011

Hire me to speak at your meeting! I can talk about the topic of your choice, or I can talk about the history of insurance and why insurance matters. Reach out for booking info or just to connect at [email protected]

Help keep independent podcasts going by contributing to my production costs: See my page at Buy Me a Coffee: Insurance vs History is Exploring all the ways Insurance changed History...or failed to.

Music Credits:

Boulangerie by Jeremy Sherman, courtesy of NeoSounds: Boulangerie, LynneMusic | NeoSounds music library

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredithbrasher

Is Your DNA Safe? Inside 23andMe's Bankruptcy and Insurance Challenges

What happens when a company owns your DNA data—and then goes bankrupt? In this episode, I dive into the complicated story of 23andMe, exploring its insurance challenges, genetic data risks, privacy concerns, and the ongoing impact for consumers in today's health and insurance landscape. If you have data with 23andMe or any other consumer focused genetic data company, I strongly suggest you listen.

Selected References:

• https://www.inc.com/magazine/201510/jeff-bercovici/the-dna-whisperer.html
• 23andMe, Antonio Regalado, MIT Technology Review, Volume 119, No. 4
• https://www.fastcompany.com/3052283/how-ceo-anne-wojcicki-turned-23andme-around-after-falling-out-with-the-
• https://restructuring.ra.kroll.com/23andMe/ (Bankruptcy Documents)

Hire me to speak at your meeting! I can talk about the topic of your choice, or I can talk about the history of insurance and why insurance matters. Reach out for booking info or just to connect at [email protected]

Help keep independent podcasts going by contributing to my production costs: See my page at Buy Me a Coffee: Insurance vs History is Exploring all the ways Insurance changed History...or failed to.

Music Credits:

Boulangerie by Jeremy Sherman, courtesy of NeoSounds: Boulangerie, LynneMusic | NeoSounds music library

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredithbrasher

Tesla's Insurance Gamble: Why Cheaper Isn't Always Better (& What History Teaches Us)

Why would Tesla get into the insurance business, and is it really a new idea? In this episode, I explore Tesla's foray into insurance, the bumps they've hit along the way, and why history shows automakers rarely succeed with insurance.

Selected References:

1. https://www.propertycasualty360.com/2025/10/06/tesla-insurance-in-trouble-for-claims-mishandling/?kw=Tesla%20insurance%20in%20trouble%20for%20claims%20mishandling&utm_source=email&utm_medium=enl&utm_campaign=newsroomupdate&utm_content=20251006&utm_term=pc360&oly_enc_id&user_id=29a99e396b51ff1e37567d2fe2ef4b2d7540d4c206a60ee86a83e02abf0199f8

2. https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0400-news/0100-press-releases/2025/release064-2025.cfm

3. https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/tesla-insurance/

4. https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/auto-motor/why-has-tesla-insurance-fallen-short-for-some-customers-471754.aspx

5. https://www.insurancethoughtleadership.com/six-things-commentary/why-tesla-insurance-will-flop

Hire me to speak at your meeting! I can talk about the topic of your choice, or I can talk about the history of insurance and why insurance matters. Reach out for booking info or just to connect at [email protected]

Help keep independent podcasts going by contributing to my production costs: See my page at Buy Me a Coffee: Insurance vs History is Exploring all the ways Insurance changed History...or failed to.

Music Credits:

Boulangerie by Jeremy Sherman, courtesy of NeoSounds: Boulangerie, LynneMusic | NeoSounds music library

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredithbrasher

When Insurance Meets Scandal: The Boy Scouts Abuse Crisis Explained

How did insurance influence the Boy Scouts of America's response to decades of sexual abuse allegations? In this episode, I dig into the organization's troubled history, insurance involvement, bankruptcy, survivor compensation, institutional accountability, and my personal reflection on how insurance both helped and hindered justice for victims.

References:

On My Honor: The Secret History of the Boy Scouts of America, by Kim Christensen: https://bookshop.org/p/books/on-my-honor-the-secret-history-of-the-boy-scouts-of-america-kim-christensen/0fe5570c55088847?ean=9781538726730&next=t

Morally Straight: How the Fight for LGBTQ+ Inclusion Changed the Boy Scouts—and America: https://bookshop.org/p/books/morally-straight-how-the-fight-for-lgbtq-inclusion-changed-the-boy-scouts-and-america-mike-de-socio/7dd05d8a718ca500?ean=9781639363858&next=t

Hire me to speak at your meeting! I can talk about the topic of your choice, or I can talk about the history of insurance and why insurance matters. Reach out for booking info or just to connect at [email protected]

Help keep independent podcasts going by contributing to my production costs: See my page at Buy Me a Coffee: Insurance vs History is Exploring all the ways Insurance changed History...or failed to.

Music Credits:

Boulangerie by Jeremy Sherman, courtesy of NeoSounds: Boulangerie, LynneMusic | NeoSounds music library

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredithbrasher

Noncompete Agreements: How the FTC's Rule Change Impacts Insurance, Employees, and History

Do you know the history behind noncompete agreements — and how they impact the insurance industry today? On the latest Insurance vs History Podcast, I take a quick look at the FTC's shifting stance on noncompete agreements, industry implications, and their surprising 15th-century origins.

Reference Articles:

https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2025/09/08/838180.htm

Hire me to speak at your meeting! I can talk about the topic of your choice, or I can talk about the history of insurance and why insurance matters. Reach out for booking info or just to connect at [email protected]

Help keep independent podcasts going by contributing to my production costs: See my page at Buy Me a Coffee: Insurance vs History is Exploring all the ways Insurance changed History...or failed to.

Music Credits:

Boulangerie by Jeremy Sherman, courtesy of NeoSounds: Boulangerie, LynneMusic | NeoSounds music library

Website: Home - Insurance vs History Podcast

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredithbrasher

When Did Pollution Happen? Unpacking Montrose, DDT, and Liability Insurance

Imagine a pollution disaster so messy that it's taken over 40 years to work out the insurance payments. In this episode of Insurance vs History, I dive into the story of Montrose Chemical and DDT, a discussion spanning WWII, Superfund lawsuits, and barrels of toxic waste leaking off California's coast. Join me to discuss the reason why it's taken 40 years to resolve, what the heck Montrose wording even means, and why it matters.

Hire me to speak at your meeting! I can talk about the topic of your choice, or I can talk about the history of insurance and why insurance matters. Reach out for booking info or just to connect at [email protected]

Help keep independent podcasts going by contributing to my production costs: See my page at Buy Me a Coffee: Insurance vs History is Exploring all the ways Insurance changed History...or failed to.

Music Credits:

Boulangerie by Jeremy Sherman, courtesy of NeoSounds: Boulangerie, LynneMusic | NeoSounds music library

Website: Home - Insurance vs History Podcast

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredithbrasher

Insurance vs History is a show doing for insurance what Freakanomics did for economics. Don't understand insurance? Can't imagine why anyone should care about a global industry that impacts your daily life in ways you don't even realize? Host Meredith Brasher shines a light on both the good and bad stories of insurance, explaining it along the way. Season Five starts in September 2025 with new episodes twice a month.