Our community looked much different when Federated Insurance® first opened its doors in downtown Owatonna in the early 1900s. Its recognizable, prairie-style headquarters near Central Park was originally surrounded by dirt roads, horse-drawn wagons, and a handful of Mainstreet businesses that catered to the town’s residents and surrounding farmers. At a time when a barn or house fire was one haphazardly placed candle away, Federated Insurance built a reputation for providing quality fire coverage to farm implement dealerships, lumberyards, and some of the nation’s first auto dealerships and gas stations. The company became known for charging an equitable price, providing superior service, and settling claims fairly. With its Owatonna roots and financial stability established, Federated Insurance steadily grew from a modest regional fire insurance provider into a national, multi-line company protecting more than 47,000 businesses across 48 states.
Today, Federated Insurance is among the largest mutual insurance companies in the United States and the parent company of several subsidiaries including Granite Re, Inc., a surety bonding company based in Oklahoma, and HDVI, a commercial trucking insurance company headquartered in South Carolina. In territories throughout the nation, Federated’s direct marketing representatives provide property and casualty, workers compensation, life and disability income, and bonding products to businesses in select industries. Their tailored coverage is complemented by industry-leading risk management support that includes access to a team of direct risk consultants, onsite safety walk-throughs, a safe driving app, online client portal, multi-day loss prevention seminars, a network of independent business succession and estate planning attorneys, an employee handbook builder, employee safety meeting materials, workplace signage, and more.
The past decade has been one of tremendous growth and innovation at Federated Insurance. The company has more than doubled its number of property and casualty clients, entered new markets, completed acquisitions, opened additional offices, and created approximately 600 new jobs – the majority of which are in Owatonna and Mankato, Minnesota.
As it has since the days of dirt roads and candles, Federated Insurance generously shares its success with the communities where its employees live and work. In 2025, the company had a $3 million charitable giving budget. A significant portion of those funds supported causes in Owatonna. Its United Way® Workplace Campaign generated $364,822 for the United Way of Steele County. Additionally, the company hosts the annual Federated Challenge® fundraising event benefitting Minnesota’s three Big Brothers Big Sisters® agencies as well as Big Brothers Big Sisters of America®. In 2026, the Federated Challenge raised a record-breaking $5,488,000. One hundred percent of those funds will go to the cause as Federated Insurance covers all event expenses. With an incredibly bright future ahead, Federated Insurance will continue to be a prominent employer and corporate citizen our community can count on for years to come.
