IN MASSACHUSETTS
Father
Michael J. McGivney understood that the first duty of a Catholic husband and
father is to his family — to care for their needs while alive and, to the
best of his ability, to provide for their care in the event of his death. He
also knew well the tragic needs of Catholic families of the deceased men in
his community. Central to Father McGivney's founding vision for the Knights
of Columbus was providing for the financial security of Catholic families,
particularly the widows and orphans of deceased members.
The first purpose listed in the
Order's 1882 charter is "rendering pecuniary aid to its members, their
families, and beneficiaries of members and their families." The
establishment of a financially sound insurance program for members of the
Order was a primary goal. Today, lack of adequate financial resources is
still a great threat to family life. Now, more than ever, the Knights of
Columbus continues to address the temporal needs of Catholic families,
especially through one of the most highly-rated insurance programs in the
world. The Knights of Columbus has hundreds of insurance agents, serving the
needs of families in local councils.
Offering
life insurance to members and their families has been a part of the Order’s
program since its founding in 1882 by Father Michael J. McGivney in New
Haven, Conn. Knights of Columbus is rated A++ (Superior) by the A.M. Best
Co., and AAA (Extremely Strong) by Standard and Poor’s. The Knights also is
a member of the Insurance Marketplace Standards Association (IMSA), which is
reserved only for those insurers that conduct their business by the highest
ethical standards. The IMSA review process determined that the Order has in
place policies and procedures that demonstrate a commitment to honesty,
fairness and integrity in all customer relationships.
