it is one of the largest livery companies ( with over 1,600 members in 2012 ) and ranks 58th in their order of precedence .

the society is a member of the london museums of health & medicine and its guild church is the church of st andrew-by-the-wardrobe .

the society 's modern roles include educational , social , ceremonial and charitable activities , in addition to supporting the city of london , its governance and the lord mayor of the city of london .

worshipful society of apothecaries

a history of the worshipful society of apothecaries of london . vol i : 1617 - 1815
apothecary tile . ceramic tile formerly used for forming pills for medicinal purposes , showing coat of arms and motto of the worshipful society of apothecaries of london , one of the livery companies of the city of london . ( worshipful society of apothecaries
a history of the worshipful society of apothecaries of london . vol i : 1617 - 1815 | jama | jama network
founded in 1673 by the worshipful society of apothecaries , this walled garden celebrates the beauty and importance of plants .
the coat of arms of the worshipful society of apothecaries show apollo , the god of healing , overpowering the dragon of disease , represented by the wyvern .
the worshipful society of apothecaries general charity limited offers grants to a limited number of students who are on the third or final year of their pharmacy degree courses .
friends enjoy a private tour of the home of the worshipful society of apothecaries , one of the largest livery companies in the city of london whose stunning courtyard building boasts some of the best - preserved 17th century livery hall interiors .
sitting very much overlooked on a very small side street near the building site that is blackfriars train station lies one of the oldest of the city’s livery halls , belonging to the worshipful society of apothecaries of london .
the royal college of physicians ( rcp ) and the worshipful society of apothecaries ( including the educational aspect of the society : the faculty of the history & philosophy of medicine & pharmacy ) are proud to present two engaging lectures to celebrate their respective 500th and 400th anniversaries .
the main source is the author’s history of the society of apothecaries . london : society of apothecaries 1998 , available from apothecaries’ hall , black friars lane , london ec4v 6ej for £37 . 50 plus post and packing . for information about the society’s archives contact the archivist , ms dee cook . the illustrations are reproduced with kind permission of the society of apothecaries and the author would like to thank the clerk and the archivist for their help .
nicholas is honorary chairman of the william shipley group for rsa history , vice president and past chairman of the johnson society of london , chairman of the erasmus darwin foundation , chairman of the charles bell group ( which aims to preserve the legacy of the middlesex hospital ) and a liveryman of the worshipful society of apothecaries .
the worshipful society of apothecaries of london is one of the livery companies of the city of london . originally , apothecaries , or pharmacists , were members of the grocers ' company . the apothecaries separated from the grocers in 1617 , when they were granted a royal charter , and during the rest of the 17th century its members ( including nicholas culpeper ) challenged the monopoly of the college of physicians .
information video that we produced for the worshipful society of apothecaries in blackfriars , london . learn about their fascinating history and the pioneering work they are doing around the world today . produced by freshly made films urltoken
king ls . a history of the worshipful society of apothecaries of london . vol i : 1617 - 1815 . jama . 1964 ; 188 ( 9 ) : 834 . doi : 10 . 1001 / jama . 1964 . 03060350060035
following the lectures at the royal college of physicians , which will be delivered by eminent speakers sir paul nurse and dr david starkey , there will be a coach transfer to the beautiful historic building of the worshipful society of apothecaries .
chelsea physic garden was founded in 1673 by the worshipful society of apothecaries . find out how this unique garden has survived over the centuries , and how it is as relevant in today ' s environment as it was when it was created as an outdoor classroom for the apprentice apothecaries
nicholas is a past president of the history of medicine section of the royal society of medicine , past president of the medical society of london , where he was awarded the lettsomian medal , and a past president of the hunterian society .
with over 5000 species of plants - many of them medicinal or otherwise & apos ; useful & apos ; to our lives - chelsea physic garden still serves the same purpose almost 350 years after it was founded by the worshipful society of apothecaries .
publication date 1967 note cover title : the apothecaries , 1617 - 1967 . commemorative volume for the society ' s 350th anniversary . related work the apothecaries , 1617 - 1967 .
london’s oldest botanic garden , the chelsea physic garden was first established in 1673 by the worshipful society of apothecaries as a teaching garden , designed to allow apprentices a structured environment in which they could learn to identify important medicinal plants .
the society of apothecaries is both a city livery company and an examining authority for the medical profession . founded in 1617 by the royal apothecary gideon de laune leading a breakaway group from the grocers’ company , the society was instrumental in raising the status of apothecaries as general practitioners . under the apothecaries’ act ( 1815 ) the society examined for the lsa and it now awards the lmssa ( licence in medicine and surgery of the society of apothecaries ) and postgraduate diplomas , while maintaining the civic , charitable , and ceremonial traditions of a livery company of the city of london .
portraits adorn the walls and the painting which hangs over the fireplace is that of gideon de laune , royal apothecary to queen anne and founder of the society . it was presented to the society of apothecaries in 1641 .
as a board member , ward was extremely supportive of thomas moore the curator in reviving the garden after the society of apothecaries nearly abandoned it in the 1850s .
the chelsea physic garden was established in 1673 by the worshipful society of apothecaries when the land was leased from charles cheyne , the lord of the manor of chelsea . it has continued to occupy the same location adjacent to the river thames , whilst the rest of chelsea has been developed around the gardens .
the worshipful society of apothecaries of london is the trustee of a fund established in 1936 by the colleagues , friends and patients of dr j strickland goodall , to found a lecture and gold medal in his memory . the subject of the lectureship should be some aspect of cardiology in its widest sense : physiological , anatomical and pathological , as well as clinical . the society has hosted this lecture since 1983 .
the society of apothecaries ' archive can be accessed by arrangment with the clerk . microfilm copies exist for many of the major series of the society ' s pre - 20th - century records . these microfilms are on open access in the searchroom of the manuscripts department in guildhall library .
the educational role of the society expanded when in the early 19th century it became an examining body for the medical profession . apprentices had always been subject to examination by their seniors as a condition of being granted freedom to practise and from 1815 the society’s responsibilities were extended to embrace the increasing number of medical students seeking a valid medical qualification . the apothecaries’ act of 1815 was the first of a series of 19th century reforms aimed at raising standards of medical education and regulating the profession in england and wales . as an examining authority appointed by act of parliament the society of apothecaries played an important part in this movement and the lsa ( licenciate of the society of apothecaries ) became a popular qualification .
the room is dominated by two large stained glass windows , one depicting the society ' s coat of arms , the other the stuart royal arms . portraits adorn the walls and the painting which hangs over the fireplace is that of gideon de laune , royal apothecary to queen anne and founder of the society . it was presented to the society of apothecaries in 1641 .
the royal pharmaceutical society of great britain is the professional institution for pharmacy in the uk .
the manufacture of drugs and medicines at apothecaries’ hall was a major activity until the closure of the trade in 1922 .
the gardens experienced mixed fortunes in the later half of the 19th century . the numbers of visiting medical students rose significantly in 1877 from a couple of hundred to 3 , 500 due mainly to the society of apothecaries finally allowing women to the study of medicine , but by the end of the 19th century the study of plants had been dropped from the medical syllabus and the society of apothecaries decided that there was no real need to continue with the garden .
the worshipful society of apothecaries lies at the heart of the early foundations of modern - day medicine and remains an important , active and innovative medical institution today . the society plays a key role in the advancement of specialist areas of medicine , and in the ongoing post - graduate education and qualification of practitioners . the faculty of conflict and catastrophe medicine organises a number of events throughout the year including courses , lectures and examinations as well as social occasions . many of these are open to the public as well as members and fellows .
the apothecaries needed an area where medicinal herbs could be grown and apprentices to the society could be trained in their use . the society had acquired a medical garden at westminster prior to chelsea and it was the contents of this garden that were moved to chelsea .
the apothecaries act 1815 granted the society the power to license and regulate practitioners of medicine throughout england and wales . today , the society retains such a role as a member of the united examining board . also , the society grants diplomas in general areas such as medical jurisprudence , medical history , medical philosophy , and in specialized fields such as hiv medicine .
a history of the worshipful society of apothecaries of london . vol . i , 1617–1815 . by c . wall , h . c . cameron and e . a . underwood . pp . xiv + 450 . publications of the wellcome historical medical museum , new series , no . 8 . oxford university press , 1963 . £2 15s . | the british journal for the history of science | cambridge core
as the society of apothecaries grew in numbers and stature , conflict with the college of physicians became inevitable . physicians of the college were an elite and generally they regarded apothecaries as their inferiors ; moreover apothecaries tended to undermine the physicians’ authority and deprive them of fees . rivalry between the college and the society was a recurring theme until the apothecaries scored a victory in 1704 when the case of william rose , an apothecary prosecuted for not only prescribing and dispensing medicines but also for visiting a patient , was taken to the house of lords . judgment was given in rose’s favour , thereby giving legal recognition to the apothecary as a general practitioner .
now at last we have a superb account of one major branch in the medical family tree—the apothecaries . this historical study has been a half century in the making . in 1905 barrett wrote a history of the society of apothecaries . a more scholarly elaboration was undertaken by dr . cecil wall , archivist of the society , but when he died in 1947 his notes were not yet ready for publication . dr . h . c . cameron carried on
the society continued to examine dispensers until 1998 and from 1928 to 1963 it awarded the first postgraduate diplomas in midwifery ( the mmsa—mastery of midwifery of the society of apothecaries ) . it administered examinations for biophysical assistants in electrotherapeutics ( the bpasa ) , and as the 20th century wore on diplomas were established in industrial health , medical jurisprudence , genitourinary medicine , sports medicine , regulatory toxicology , musculoskeletal medicine , the medical care of catastrophes , and clinical pharmacology . ultimately , the mastery of midwifery led to the founding of the royal college of obstetrics and gynaecology ; the diploma in industrial health prompted the formation of the institute of occupational medicine ; and several other medical specialties pioneered by the society of apothecaries have achieved wider acclaim as faculties or sections of the royal society of medicine .
in common with other livery companies , the society of apothecaries dispenses charity—to widows , distressed members , medical students , schools , and needy institutions ; in 1982 a charitable fund was established to focus specifically on grants and donations . in many ways the society of apothecaries is an anomaly , combining as it does the duties of a licensing authority for the medical profession with the charitable , ceremonial , and social traditions of a city livery company . in fulfilling this dual role the society represents the medical profession in the city of london—as it has done for four centuries .
during the course of the 17th century the society of apothecaries established its hall within the precinct of the former black friars priory , founded the physic garden at chelsea , commissioned a ceremonial barge , and took its place as 58th in the order of precedence of the city livery companies .
the society of apothecaries was incorporated by royal charter from james i in 1617 . the letters patent gave the society the right to
have , purchase , retain and appoint a certain hall , or counsel - house
in the city , but it was 15 years before it could afford one .
the spicers , pepperers , and apothecaries of medieval london fell under the jurisdiction of the powerful grocers’ company . as their prosperity increased apothecaries came to resent the restrictions , discipline , and shop searches imposed by the grocers ; they desired independence and the control of their own affairs . the poor laws of the elizabethan era had the effect of enhancing the role of apothecaries who became largely responsible for the medical care of the sick poor . their heightened profile prompted a petition to secure the monopoly of compounding and selling medicines for apothecaries , but the timing was not propitious ( this was 1588—the year of the spanish armada ) . the conclusion of war with spain , the accession to the throne of the amenable king james i , and the emergence of the royal apothecary gideon de laune provided more favourable circumstances , leading to the founding of the society of apothecaries in 1617 .
notable people who qualified in medicine as a licentiate of the society of apothecaries ( lsa ) include john keats , elizabeth garrett anderson , who thereby became the first woman to gain a medical qualification in the uk , and ronald ross .
apothecaries were further encouraged when sloane , lord of the manor of chelsea , conveyed the physic garden to the society on favourable terms . the agreement of 1722 stimulated a period of horticultural activity , building , and renovation at the physic garden which , under the directorship of isaac rand and with philip miller as gardener , achieved international renown . 3 the chelsea physic garden continues to flourish as a haven where medicinal plants are cultivated for the purpose of research and education . it is now an independent charity with a representative of the society of apothecaries on the board of trustees .
ceramics of this type , commonly known as pill tiles , were made exclusively in england in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries for apothecaries belonging to the worshipful society of apothecaries of london , founded in 1617 . with some variations , all of the tiles are decorated with the society’s coat of arms : surrounded by mantling , apollo , the god of healing , vanquishes the dragon of disease while holding a bow and arrow ; two unicorns act as supporters ; and an often unidentifiable rhinoceros serves as the crest . the latin motto , opiferque per orbem dicor ( i am spoken of all over the world as one who brings help ) , is taken from ovid’s metamorphoses . on one of these tiles the rhinoceros crest is surmounted by a cedar tree , a reference to those planted in the society’s chelsea physic garden in 1673 . the other two tiles display the arms of the city of london .
built on the site of the black friars priory , the original hall burnt down in the great fire of 1666 and was rebuilt in 1672 . on our tour we learn about the significance of this historic site and the history of the worshipful society as we walk through the great hall , court room and parlour and view artefacts from the collection which is made up of paintings , silverware , furniture and other items which have associations with the society and its work .
the society of apothecaries is the preferred livery company of the medical profession and with a total membership of 1747 this is the largest of the 103 city livery companies . non - medical membership is limited to 15 % , while the court of assistants , which forms the governing body of 24 senior members , consists of not less than 22 registered medical practitioners . at the apex of the society stand the master and two wardens who are elected annually on the basis of seniority . the appeal of the hall where the society’s impressive oil paintings 5 and valuable collection of antique drug jars are displayed , the traditional livery dinners held in the great hall , lectures , and other social occasions make membership of the society desirable and keenly sought .
join us on this members - only tour of the society ' s premises and discover the fascinating artefacts on display .
the windows on the east and west sides of the hall contain stained glass coats of arms of past masters and former officers of the society , and portraits hang on the walls .
the faculty of the history and philosophy of medicine and pharmacy , founded at apothecaries’ hall in 1959 , organises lectures , prizes , the appointment of lecturers at medical schools , and courses in medical history for undergraduates . since 1970 the faculty has awarded the diploma in the history of medicine of the society of apothecaries ( dhmsa ) , augmented by the diploma in the philosophy of medicine ( dpmsa ) from 1978 . the society is the only non - university medical licensing authority in the uk and as a member of the united examining board it grants the lmssa and awards 11 postgraduate diplomas .
the room contains a large , wall - to - wall showcase in which many of the society ' s apothecaries ' drug jars and pill tiles are displayed . it adjoins the court room and there is a connecting door between them .
in 1994 the society was established as a separate , self - financing entity with its own accounts .
the apothecaries’ act also gave the society responsibility for examining apothecaries’ assistants or dispensers , the majority of whom were women . among those sitting this examination at the hall in 1917 was agatha christie , then working in the dispensary of the red cross hospital , torquay , where she drafted her first detective novel . her knowledge of drugs , especially poisons , was to serve her well in her subsequent career .
the apothecaries separated from the grocers in 1617 , when they were granted a royal charter , and during the rest of the 17th century its members challenged the monopoly of the college of physicians .
a few tables set up to show off the modern day works of the people who are members of the apothecaries , including a sombre reminder of modern warfare – and a table selling ubiquitous branded trinkets .
the city livery companies were founded on the trades and crafts of london and the apothecaries were particularly well placed to exploit the demands of an increasing population for drugs , medicines , potions , and pharmaceutical remedies . demand was such that in 1672 the society built a laboratory at apothecaries’ hall where herbs grown at the physic garden were processed and chemical preparations manufactured ( see fig 2 ) . these operations were under the management of the laboratory stock , a stock company that ensured the medicines and drugs manufactured and sold at the hall were of good quality . the trade expanded to supply the army , navy and the colonies , prompting the formation of the navy stock in 1703 . by the close of the 18th century medicine chests from apothecaries’ hall , complete with the requisite pills , mixtures and basic instruments , were essential equipment for naval surgeons and explorers : captain cook’s voyages of discovery and convict fleets sailing to australia had the benefit of medicines and supplies obtained from the society of apothecaries .
to each side is a unicorn , james i ' s special beasts which highlights his personal interest in the society .
the new society was a self governing corporation dedicated to training apprentices in the art of the apothecary , ensuring that medicines made and sold by its members were genuine , punishing frauds , and raising standards of practice among london apothecaries generally—to the benefit of the general public , particularly those who could not afford to consult a physician .
the society of apothecaries is well - known due to its foundation of the chelsea physic garden in chelsea , london , in 1673 , one of the oldest botanical gardens in europe , and the second oldest in britain . after sir hans sloane granted the society the use of the manor of chelsea , the four acre ( 16 , 000 m² ) garden became the richest collection of medicinal plants in europe , under the direction of philip miller . under its seed exchange program , originally initiated with the leiden botanical garden , cotton was planted for the first time in the colony of georgia . jealously guarded during the tenure of the society , in 1983 the garden became a registered charity and was opened to the general public for the first time .
steeped in history and tradition , the society was founded by royal charter in 1617 ; discover its hall , archives and artefacts .
the wealthy and influential de laune was not only the founder of the society , he was also its chief benefactor . as the court of assistants acknowledged , he was “a principal means for the procuring of the said company to be made a corporation and for the purchasing of the capital messuage now belonging to the said company called apothecaries’ hall” . 2 he presented two cups to the society , and his portrait , which hangs at the hall ( see fig 1 ) where he is also commemorated in a marble bust .
a new initiative for the society celebrates the historic relationship between apothecaries and general practitioners , and commemorates the names of william rose whose appeal sanctioned the apothecary’s right to practise medicine , and dr fraser rose , a co - founder of the royal college of general practitioners . the rose prize for an original , unpublished dissertation on the history of british general practice is offered jointly by the society and the college : the first award will be made in 2005 when the winner will be presented , appropriately , with the rose bowl .
a central 24 - branch candelabrum suspended from the ceiling was presented to the society by sir benjamin rawling , who was sheriff of london and master in 1736 .
the central 24 - branch candelabrum suspended from the ceiling was presented to the society by sir benjamin rawling , who was sheriff of london and master in 1736 .
the much darker court room next door is dominated by two large stained glass windows , one depicting the society’s coat of arms , the other the stuart royal arms .
the society boasts the oldest surviving livery hall in the city ; it is certainly one of the most attractive . situated in a secluded courtyard on the east side of black friars lane , apothecaries’ hall is not as grand as drapers’ hall , nor as palatial as fishmongers’ hall , but it possesses a special charm and intimacy ( see fig 3 ) .
to find if your organisation or society is on the approved list below please select the ctrl and f keys on your keyboard . in the search box that appears type in the most relevant part of the name , so for example for society of actuaries you would type actuaries and the number of listings including actuaries should be displayed ( 1 of 21 ) and these are reachable by using the arrows .
walking to barts ( where i was a student 1946 - 52 ) from blackfriars , one would pass the society’s hall . , known colloquially as ” pots hall “ , not disrespectful , when the society was very nearly as old as barts ( 1123 ) . c . p .
correspondence and papers of edmond halley . arranged and edited by eugene fairfield pike , oxford , clarendon press , 1932 . appendix viii : extracts referring to halley from the journal books of the royal society .
the apothecaries — which were medical plant growers — can trace their heritage as a group back to 1180 , when they were part of the guild of pepperers , and later in 1345 , they moved to the grocers’ company .
the name of the association was changed in 1972 at the direction of the court , in order to make a clear distinction between the optically qualified fellows ( of the company ) and members of this cultural and social fellowship . the current society chairman is sheila hope .
going in through the narrow entrance , is a large yellow courtyard – which is also shared with other occupants , but at the back is the main apothecaries hall .
with the help of gideon de laune the society purchased the mansion called cobham house for its hall in 1632—lord cobham had acquired the former guest house of black friars priory after the dissolution of the friary in 1538 . the property extended south to the river thames where the apothecaries had access to their barge and thence to the chelsea physic garden , to a herbarizing , or to participate in the ceremonial procession of state barges on lord mayor’s day .
the society is an innovative and progressive institution , firmly established at the forefront of modern - day medicine and a leading player in the advancement of medical research and knowledge . it is based at the magnificent and historic apothecaries’ hall in blackfriars , which is the oldest extant livery hall in the city of london , with the first - floor structure and arrangement of the great hall , court room and parlour remaining as rebuilt between 1668 and 1670 .
the great hall is hung with portraits of king charles i , king james i , masters , benefactors , and members of the society . the marble bust of de laune by john young ( 1676 ) surveys the scene from the far end .
during medieval times a coat of arms was very important . it told everybody who you were , what family you belonged to , who your relatives were , what territory you may hold . it basically said everything about a powerful person that you wanted ( and needed ) people to know . a coat of arms is a unique design belonging to a particular person ( or group of people i . e . the worshipful society of apothecaries ) and is used by them in a wide variety of ways . some of these ways include as an official seal on important documents , on flags or standards used to identify different groups on a battle field or even to represent different families within a given land area . in england and scotland coats of arms are unique to individuals , not to families , and each successive member of different generations would design their own distinctive coat of arms , often based on the common theme of the family .
the spectacle makers ' society provides opportunities for freemen and liverymen to meet in an informal setting , with social events , weekend trips and a wide range of non - optical themed events .
cobham house in blackfriars was chosen . situated in the precinct of the former dominican priory of the black friars , the property had originally been their guesthouse . the society bought it for £1 , 800 in october 1632 from the executors of lady anne howard , sister - in - law of lady cobham ( who was the wife of the 11th baron and daughter of lord howard of effingham ) .
however , the subject did flourish in more informal and postgraduate settings . this included the medical societies of royal colleges and societies . 11 , 12 the worshipful society of apothecaries , for example , created honorary lecturer posts , student courses , student prizes , and a diploma in the subject . 4 , 13 , 14 however , a perceived lack of support from medical educators led to the society writing in 1965 to the subcommittee of the general medical council ( gmc ) : ‘if it is worthy of study then it is worthy of a place in the syllabus and of regular teaching appointments in the medical schools’ . 13 the recommendations were not taken up . instead , the largest contributor to the specialty has been the wellcome trust . the trust owns and maintains the wellcome institute of the history of medicine as well as establishing five academic centres , known as wellcome units in the history of medicine throughout the uk . however , such an established organization has previously been thought to be paradoxically accountable for hindering the development of the subject as a formal discipline within medical schools ; the history of medicine has been so well covered by the wellcome trust that no medical school or history department could hope to bring together the wealth of reference and research material which it contains . 4
the 8 year old gideon de laune came to london with his family in 1573 . they were huguenot refugees who settled at black friars , within the precinct of the former dominican priory . gideon’s father was a physician but gideon chose to practise as an apothecary from a shop at black friars , making his name and fortune from the manufacture of de laune’s pills , a nostrum recommended for scurvy , dropsy , jaundice , venereal disease , worms , etc . de laune did not join the grocers’ company and he was prepared to defy that company’s authority by leading a breakaway group of apothecaries determined to establish their independence . there was an acrimonious confrontation between de laune and the court of the grocers’ company in 1610 when the apothecaries’ bid for self regulation failed . by 1614 however , de laune had recruited the support of a fellow huguenot , the king’s physician dr theodore mayerne , and dr henry atkins , seven times president of the college of physicians who was likewise favoured by the king . de laune’s own standing as apothecary to queen anne doubtless helped his cause and the apothecaries’ petition for a royal charter met with success . letters patent granted by king james in december 1617 named the 122 founder members of the society of apothecaries .
gideon de laune ( 1565–1659 ) from a painting by cornelis jonson van ceulen . founder , benefactor and twice master , de laune presented his portrait to the society in 1642 .
continuing her medicinal mission , she is currently editing a guide to the top 300 over - the - counter herbs in the uk ( most of which are imported ) and the issues involved in their production and is the chairperson of the herb society .
one notable candidate who came before the society’s court of examiners was john keats who as number 189 sat for the lsa in 1816 , with success . however a few months’ experience as a surgeon’s dresser proved the limit for keats and he turned to literary pursuits . similarly , it was through the portals of apothecaries’ hall that elizabeth garrett anderson managed to obtain the lsa in 1865—the first woman to do so in britain . her achievement paved the way for the foundation of the london school of medicine for women in 1874 and the acceptance of women into the medical profession .
the society , which is the largest of the livery companies , is the fifty - eighth in the order of precedence for livery companies . its motto is opiferque per orbem dicor , a latin reference to the greek deity apollo , meaning i am called a bringer of help throughout the world .
the apothecaries of london were originally members of the city company of grocers but were granted independence by james i in 1617 . by 1632 they had set up shop in blackfriars in the city of london , and eventually became the largest of the livery companies . their headquarters were destroyed by the great fire of london , which they probably did not think was all that great . in 1673 they established a new site a few miles upstream in the village of chelsea or chelsey .
a recommendation from this study is that it be repeated , perhaps bi - annually by an organization or society interested in the delivery of the history of medicine . this will allow the rate of progression of sscs in the subject be followed , information that could regularly update educators within the medical humanities as well as allow individual sscs suggestions of developments and ideas from other sscs .
royal society of tropical medicine and hygiene aims to promote and advance the study , control and prevention of diseases in man and other animals in the tropics and sub - tropics , facilitate discussion and exchange of information among those who are interested in tropical diseases and international health , and generally to promote the work of those interested in these objectives .
when you have completed the pre - registration year , you need to sit the gphc or pharmaceutical society of northern ireland ( psni ) registration exam . you must pass this exam before you can join the gphc / psni register .
the apothecaries ' retail pharmacy , which had been located on the northern side of the courtyard , gained a separate entrance on water lane ( now black friars lane ) in 1823 . its steps and wrought - iron railings are still evident . the colonnade in the courtyard where the main door , surmounted by the society ' s arms , is now located was enclosed in 1929 . the entrance hall features the main staircase which was constructed in 1670 .
form , function and fisheries : the scientific legacy of edward stuart russell - evening meeting - introduced by gordon mcgregor reid , past president of the linnean society . speakers : roger downie , professor of zoological education , university of glasgow , with research interests principally in the life histories of amphibians and marine turtles ; and carl o’brien fls , defra chief fisheries science adviser and the 2015 buckland professor .
ultimately , the society could not sustain both its trading and professional interests . by the early 20th century commercial competition in drug manufacturing had stiffened and profits from the manufacture of medicines , pharmaceutical preparations , and surgical appliances at apothecaries’ hall declined . employees of the trade department clamoured for pay increases and held a strike , heralding the closure of manufacturing at the hall in 1922 . the retail business , complete with valuable prescription books and formulae were disposed of ; likewise the pharmacy at the hall was dismantled and the utensils , jars , mahogany counters , and cabinets were offered for sale .
visit one of london ' s museums of health and medicine to discover extraordinary stories .
the use of the rose water bowl is alleged to date from the days before cutlery was in use , apart from the personal knife that each person brought to the table and placed beside the trencher or thick piece of bread used to mop up liquids – a potentially messy business . however , the custom is continued because it is subtler than that – by dipping the corner of your table napkin into the rose water and patting behind your ears you stimulate the nerves in this region , which through their connections soothe the digestive organs . the source of this knowledge is the society of apothecaries , than whom none could be more authoritative in such matters .
destroyed in the great fire of london in 1666 , the society immediately set about re - building the hall . work was completed in 1672 and an ' elaboratory ' was included for the first ever large - scale manufacture of drugs . this was located at ground level along the eastern side of the courtyard , underneath the great hall .
miller was a scotsman from a gardening family and was appointed by sir hans sloane . under his care and expertise ' the apothecaries ' garden at chelsea became the most richly stocked botanic garden in europe and a hub of information gathering and sharing , both nationally and internationally . the garden became the horticultural google of its day .
slowly snaking up the grand staircase – slowly as everyone was looking at the paintings and stained glass windows , and eventually up to the main first floor and into the parlour , with a whole wall lined with the sorts of china pots used by apothecaries to store their dried herbs .
her publications include ' the greatest glasshouse ' ( on kew ' s palm house ) , ' the healing garden ' ( which was recently revised and updated for eden ) and ' the apothecaries ' garden ' , a history of chelsea physic garden which was published for the millennium .
both the college and the society were founded at times of vast change and extraordinary optimism . erasmus , more , luther and bacon were transforming the intellectual universe while academically gifted and reforming monarchs like henry viii and james vi and i seemed to offer the means to translate theory into practice . it was a good time to found things and many of the great institutions of england sprang from this moment - including the college and the society . their founders moved in the most advanced intellectual circles ; they were close to power and they had ambitions to match .
home to the world’s oldest museum of ophthalmic optics and eyecare , full of visual delights .
the story of britain’s largest voluntary hospital , told in the crypt of st philip’s church .
visiting the garden now provides an excellent learning experience . the plants are very well labelled with several themed areas to focus on specific geographical sources of plants . there is also currently an art installation by nici ruggiero which uses jars in the style of those used by early apothecaries to explain how different plants were and are used in medicine .
the two stock companies combined their activities in 1822 after the acquisition of an old foundry behind apothecaries’ hall where the industrial processes centred on the chemical laboratory , the still house , and a magnesia room where furnaces , vats , and stoves throbbed and bubbled under the surveillance of the chemical operator . the processes were not without risk and on one occasion a series of explosions ripped apart the body of henry hennell , sending parts of his anatomy across the street and onto the roof .
today , wcsm offers nationally recognised qualifications which have been accredited by qfqual and sqa . wcsm is the awarding body and successful candidates will be presented with their qualification certificates at the company ' s annual ceremony at apothecaries ' hall in london each october .
incidentally , the word ' apothecary ' derives from ' apotheca ' which was a store for spices and herbs . apothecaries needed to be able to identify the herbs they would be purchasing to mix their products and thus avoid adulteration , poisonings or ineffective treatment .
a personal history of 62 years of bioengineering - prof . emeritus heinz wolff ( brunel university )
walford gives the impression that sir hans sloane created the chelsea physic garden , however it was already in existence and sloane had been an apprentice at the garden . after sloane had made his fortune ( more on this in a later post on chelsea ) , he purchased the manor of chelsea from cheyne and granted a perpetual rent of the garden to the apothecaries for a peppercorn rent of £5 a year .
as well as appointing miller , becoming landlord to the apothecaries and making sure we only pay £5 rent per year for ever ( as long as we teach about ' useful ' plants ) , introducing the idea of milk chocolate to europe ( allegedly ) and collecting enough artefacts in his 92 year long life that they became the nucleus of the british museum , sir hans sloane had dealings in the american colony of georgia and called upon the expertise of miller to provide the plants of cotton - gossypium spp .
to determine the current status of history of medicine student selected components ( ssc ) at uk medical schools . this includes the frequency , methods of delivery , assessment , and evaluation of such courses .
percentages of history of medicine sscs for each objective characteristic were obtained as well as general descriptive data .
‘education at longwood gardens – a continuum of learning’ - dr . doug needham ( director of education )
the initial meeting was held in 1933 in prince henry ' s room near the inner temple gateway in fleet street , and was called by the insertion of a notice in several current optical journals inviting all those interested and qualified to attend . there was a good response , evident interest was aroused and , apart from the hiatus caused by the war , the fellowship ( society ) has flourished ever since . subsequent meetings took place in the chapter house of st paul ' s cathedral and the premises of the city livery club at sion college on the embankment , before the fellowship ( along with the company ) settled down
permanently
and happily in apothecaries ' hall .
this is a pdf - only article . the first page of the pdf of this article appears below .
it is known that a gild of cutlers existed in the city of london in the 13th century , comprised of cutlers who had settled in the vicinity of cheapside . as was the case with the other trade guilds of the day , its function was to protect the interests of its members , to attend to their welfare , and to ensure that high standards of quality were maintained . the first ordinances were granted in 1344 by the mayor and aldermen , which gave the gild power of search and assay of all manner of cutlery .
shows the variety of content including a wide range of topics and historical periods within the history of medicine sscs . these particularly include the 20th and 21st centuries .
also suggests there are some factors that may limit the provision of history of medicine sscs such as lack of staff , teaching facilities , and time within curriculum .
this lecture will revisit its past ; some of the antique technologies pioneered there as well as profile some of its notable people and , of course , plants .
the hall survived the vicissitudes of the civil war and interregnum but was destroyed in the great fire of september 1666 . thomas lock was responsible for rebuilding on the old foundations ( 1668–70 ) and his work survives : the great hall ( see fig 4 ) , parlour , court room , and carved staircase are recognised as some of the finest late 17th century interiors of any livery hall . 4 while the main reception rooms of the post - fire hall have been preserved , the street frontage was rebuilt by the surveyor richard norris in the 1780s to provide larger premises for the society’s trading activities , with access to the courtyard and hall through a central archway . thus the west and south elevations facing black friars lane and playhouse yard were given their sturdy , industrial appearance , whereas the society’s hall preserves the character of a late 17th century town house .
the society is based at apothecaries ' hall in blackfriars . the original hall was cobham house , purchased in 1632 . this building was destroyed in the great fire of london in 1666 . a new hall was built on the same site and completed in 1672 to the designs of edward jerman . an elaboratory was included for the first ever large - scale manufacture of drugs . a major restoration and building programme was carried out in the 1780s . although the hall underwent major re - development in the 1980s , its external appearance has altered little since the late - eighteenth century . it is the oldest extant livery company hall in the city , with the first - floor structure and arrangement of the great hall , court room and parlour remaining as re - built between 1668 and 1670 .
an internationally renowned collection of archives , art and historic objects relating to the history of mental healthcare and treatment .
a fascinating portrait of the vital humanitarian work of the british red cross , from its 1870 beginnings to today .
one of the world’s largest and richest medical collections , founded on the extraordinary personal collection of sir henry wellcome .
we marked the anniversary of the date of our founding by sending out electronic greeting card to all members and numerous friends of the faculty and partner organisations . download here .
the society was incorporated as a city livery company in 1617 . its hall ( dating from 1668 - 72 ) , archives and artefacts also record and reflect its activities as a major centre for manufacturing and retailing drugs ( 1671 - 1922 ) , founder of chelsea physic garden in 1673 and medical examining and licensing body from 1815 .
the uk’s largest and longest - established public health organisation . completely independent of government and of any special interest . with members who are academics , health professionals and practitioners who share an interest in promoting health through their daily work , and come together through society membership to provide cross - cutting , multidisciplinary perspectives on current health questions . if this sounds good to you then follow the link .
discover the inspiring story of one of the oldest hospitals in the world , and view spectacular paintings by william hogarth .
‘ a considerable number of departments in medical schools and other institutions reported that historical points were normally touched on in the course of teaching , and that some idea of historical development was considered of advantage to the medical student . ’ 9
last weekend i was walking in chelsea , hunting down some of the locations of my father’s photos when i walked past one of the places i have always meant to visit .
the spectacle makers ' society grew out of the wcsm fellowship , which itself was the brainchild of roland champness , who was later to become both clerk and master of the livery company . in 1933 roland champness sought the court ' s permission through his father , sir william champness , the then clerk , to start a
sort of fellowship guild of freemen within the company
, to
provide social and cultural refreshment and stimulus for liverymen , freemen and student associates of the company , together with their friends and families
. the court not only approved the idea , but also gave him a preliminary grant of 100 guineas to open a fellowship account from which to meet any immediate expenses .


national general insurance , formerly the gmac insurance group is a winston-salem , north carolina-based property and casualty insurance company .

the company was founded in 1920 .

the company is the only insurance company in the united states to come from within the automotive industry .

the holding company for national general insurance personal lines is national general holdings corp . as of august 2016 , the company was owned by barry karfunkel and his family .

national general insurance

glassdoor has 507 national general insurance reviews submitted anonymously by national general insurance employees . read employee reviews and ratings on glassdoor to decide if national general insurance is right for you .
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gmac insurance , a national specialty personal lines company and automobile insurer , is changing its name to national general insurance , effective july 1 .
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you ' re never alone on the road when you ' re with national general insurance .
gmac insurance announced today that it is changing its name and brand to national general insurance , effective july 1 , 2013 .
these two national general / integon subsidiaries have recently started selling residential property insurance . here are their home insurance complaint records :
auto insurance complaint record : the geico companies , except for geico casualty company , have a history of better annual auto insurance complaint ratios compared to the larger national general companies . geico casualty , which sells nonstandard auto insurance , like many of the national general companies , has an auto insurance complaint record similar to the larger national general companies .
2014 : national general / gmac was not included in the 2014 jd power auto insurance customer satisfaction study .
the complaint statistics , called complaint ratios , used in this national general insurance review are the number of upheld complaints filed against each of the national general companies with a state’s insurance regulatory authority , adjusted for each subsidiary’s market share , as determined by the national association of insurance commissioners .
auto insurance complaint record : most of the many farmers insurance group companies have a history of better annual auto insurance complaint ratios compared to the larger national general companies .
auto insurance complaint record : the allstate subsidiaries have a history of better annual auto insurance complaint ratios compared to the larger national general companies .
auto insurance complaint record : the state farm subsidiaries have a history of better annual auto insurance complaint ratios than the larger national general companies .
from the national general website : “insurance policies purchased through the national general insurance homeowners program are underwritten by select providers of homeowners , renters , condo , and other specialty insurance . underwriting partners and coverage options vary by state and type of policy . ”
auto insurance complaint record : most of the many progressive insurance group companies have a history of better annual auto insurance complaint ratios than the larger national general companies . these progressive subsidiaries have about the same auto insurance complaint ratios as the larger national general companies : progressive express insurance company , progressive southeastern insurance company , & united financial casualty company .
national general insurance company is available in almost all of the us states except delaware , hawaii , & massachusetts .
integon national insurance company is the largest auto insurance subsidiary in the national general insurance group , more than two times larger than the next largest auto insurance subsidiary in the group . if you received an auto insurance quote from general national , its a good chance this is the subsidiary company being quoted , if you live in a state where this company operates .
below is how the national general insurance complaint record for the largest national general subsidiaries compare to a few major competitors . you can also go to this review on my website here , to see at a glance how national general / integon performs compared to over 40 other u . s . auto insurance companies .
a . m . best affirms ratings of national general holdings corp . and its subsidiaries
a . m . best affirms ratings of national general holdings corp . and its subsidiaries
gmac personal lines insurance was re - branded as national general insurance group in july 2013 . most of the national general companies focus on selling nonstandard auto insurance in most us states ( except hawaii & massachusetts ) , for drivers not qualifying for standard auto insurance rates , due to their driving record or other factors . national general has 10 subsidiary companies selling auto insurance , with some subsidiaries selling direct from the company , through the national general website or company call centers , and some subsidiaries available only from independent insurance agents appointed to represent them .
the national general insurance online , inc . subsidiary has a worse - than - average auto insurance complaint history over the last five years , with its number of auto insurance complaints in its worst year ( 2011 ) during this period at 321 % of the industry average . the auto insurance market share for national general insurance online , inc . increased from 2013 to 2014 , which may be an indication national general insurance online , inc . now has more competitive pricing for its auto insurance .
this review will analyze the am best , jd power ratings and auto insurance complaint statistics for the national general auto insurance companies . if you purchased ( or you are planning to purchase ) home insurance from national general , have national general confirm the name of the insurance company insuring your home ( its name will appear on your home insurance declarations page , too ) , and visit my website’s homepage , to check my home insurance complaint ratings for the company .
the change from gmac insurance to national general insurance will not affect coverage or claims of existing policyholders and will not affect current outstanding policies in any way .
t & c / privacy policy our ssn privacy policy insurance fraud ca licensing find an agent contact us site map ©2018 national general insurance . all rights reserved .
the change from gmac insurance to national general insurance will not affect coverage or claims of existing policyholders and will not affect our current outstanding policies in any way .
also in 2014 , national general holdings corporation acquired certain assets of imperial management corporation , including its underwriting subsidiaries imperial fire & casualty insurance company and national automotive insurance company . click this link to see my ratings for the 2010 - 2014 home & auto insurance complaint statistics for imperial fire & casualty insurance company review in my imperial fire & casualty insurance company review . below are the auto insurance complaint statistics for national automotive insurance company .
national general insurance group is one of the largest automobile insurers in the united states . national general insurance group offers property and casualty products , including personal auto , rv , motorcycle , commercial auto and more . with a nationwide network of claims professionals and a 24 - hour , toll - free claims hotline available 365 days a year , national general insurance provides superior claims service for its customers .
part of the national general insurance advantage is our experience – nearly 70 years insuring cars . if any company understands how important your car is to you , it’s national general insurance . we know that your vehicle is the key to your freedom and meeting your responsibilities .
) - - gmac insurance announced today that it is changing its name to national general insurance . the company is one of the largest automobile insurers in the united states .
i’ll compare the numerical scores ( instead of the power circle rating ) for national general / gmac auto insurance , to the industry average and the scores of competing insurance companies , for each jd power insurance study ( 2012 - 2015 ) where it was rated . national general / gmac was included in the following annual jd power insurance studies :
a . m . best affirms credit ratings of national general hldgs corp . and most subs . ; upgrades direct general ins . co . and affiliates
national general insurance group operates through eleven insurance subsidiaries and other affiliated companies , offers property and casualty products , including personal auto , rv , motorcycle and commercial auto as well as accident and supplemental health insurance products .
this national general ( formerly gmac ) insurance companies review is divided into four sections , consisting of : 1 . its am best financial strength ratings , 2 . jd power insurance customer & claims satisfaction scores & ratings for national general ( gmac ) compared to competing companies 3 . its auto insurance customer complaint ratings , and 4 . information about competing auto insurance companies , and how their complaint records compare to the national general ( formerly gmac ) companies .
national general insurance company has received 4 . 49 out of 5 stars based on 358 customer reviews and a bbb rating of a + .
2014 : national general / gmac was not included in the 2014 jd power auto claims satisfaction study .
2013 : national general / gmac was not included in the 2013 jd power auto claims satisfaction study .
this review will analyze any recent jd power and am best ratings for national general , and evaluate , for the most recent five year period where reliable statistics are available ( 2010 , 2011 , 2012 , 2013 & 2014 ) , the auto insurance complaint data for the subsidiary companies of national general insurance group , to determine whether each subsidiary , such as integon general insurance company or national general insurance company online , has a better - than - average , average , or worse - than - average customer complaint record .
“the new national general insurance brand enables us to establish our own identity while maintaining our more than 70 years of industry experience , our breadth of products and our national reach , ” storms added .
the national general insurance company subsidiary has a much higher than average number of auto insurance complaints in 2012 , 2013 & 2014 , with its number of auto insurance complaints at 196 % more than the annual industry average in 2014 . although the company had less than the average number of auto insurance complaints for 2010 & 2011 , the results for the most recent years are most relevant . the auto insurance market share for national general insurance company has decreased each year since 2012 , which may be an indication national general insurance company does not have competitive pricing for its auto insurance , in at least some of the states where it operates .
national general insurance group is a specialty personal lines company and is one of the largest automobile insurers in the united states . national general insurance group , through its eleven insurance subsidiaries and other affiliated companies , offers property and casualty products , including personal auto , rv , motorcycle and commercial auto as well as accident and supplemental health insurance products . learn more online at urltoken .
auto insurance claims satisfaction summary : national general / gmac scored . 5 % below the national average in the 2012 jd power auto claims satisfaction study , but was not rated in the 2013 & 2014 studies . based on its performance in 2012 , i would expect slightly lower to average auto claims satisfaction from national general .
these companies scored 1 . 1 % or more lower than national general / gmac in the 2012 southeast region study : 21st century , safeco , and direct general .
national general insures autos and other vehicles , but it does not insure homes or personal property , and does not sell its own home , condo or renters insurance . if you buy direct from the company , national general acts as an agent , and partners with other insurance companies , to sell their partner companies’ home , condo , or renters insurance . if you get a home insurance price quote from national general , the company ( or companies ) they quote you will depend on where you live .
national general insurance group offers property and casualty products , including personal auto , rv , motorcycle , commercial auto and more . with a nationwide network of claims professionals and a 24 - hour , toll - free claims hotline available 365 days a year , national general insurance provides superior claims service for its customers .
national general insurance , aka good sams , is over priced and only care about getting the extra dollar from thier customers . i found insurance 40 percent cheaper and i terminated my account in good standing . they conjured up a $ 12 debt and sent it to a collections agency . i will never use national general insurance again . poor company . beware !
michael karfunkel , chairman and ceo of national general insurance , said the name change is the culmination of three - plus years of transformation into a global insurer .
national general / gmac is rated in only one of the eleven regional studies ( the southeast region ) composing the annual jd power us auto insurance customer satisfaction study . national general / gmac has too small a sample share in other regions , and was not included in the 2014 study at all for this same reason . if your state is not included in the southeast region , the results for national general / gmac in this region may still be a good proxy for how national general performs in your state .
the national general assurance company subsidiary has a higher than average number of auto insurance complaints every year , over the last five years , with its number of auto insurance complaints in its worst year during this period ( 2013 ) , at 154 % more than the industry average . the auto insurance market share for national general assurance company has decreased each year since 2012 , which may be an indication national general assurance company no longer has competitive pricing for its auto insurance , in at least some of the states where it operates .
if you live in nc file your national general complaints at the following link but if you live outside nc just do a google search for your state’s department of insurance / insurance commissioner and they should have an online help / complaint section . national general will continue [ redacted ] people until the right agency who allows them to operate hears about it . i can tell you from my experience , national general is scared , very scared of complaints to the department of insurance / insurance commissioners of the state they sell in . here is the nc link : urltoken
in 2014 , national general holdings corporation purchased personal express insurance company , a small insurance company selling auto & home insurance direct to consumers in the state of california only , from amtrust financial services , inc . we’ll see in the future if national general will use this subsidiary to expand its business , or just maintain it as a runoff company . because this subsidiary have very , very little auto insurance market share , so the one auto insurance complaint each year in 2012 & 2014 resulted in worse than average auto insurance complaint ratios .
the mic general insurance corporation subsidiary has maintained a lower than average number of auto insurance complaints each year since 2010 , with its number of auto insurance complaints in its worst year during this period ( 2014 ) , still only 77 % of the industry average . the auto insurance market share for mic general insurance corporation has decreased from 2013 to 2014 , which may be an indication mic general insurance corporation no longer has competitive pricing for its auto insurance , in at least some of the states where it operates .
lastly , i’ll compare the auto insurance complaint records for the national general subsidiary companies , with major competitors , like allstate , progressive , geico , state farm , & farmers .
the integon general insurance corporation subsidiary has maintained a better - than - average auto insurance complaint history in four of the last five years , with its number of auto insurance complaints in its worst year during this period ( 2013 ) , at only 1 % more than the industry average . the auto insurance market share for integon general insurance corporation increased from 2013 to 2014 , which may be an indication integon general insurance corporation now has more competitive pricing for its auto insurance , in at least some of the states where it operates .
formerly known as gmac insurance , national general insurance is a nationwide insurer founded in 1920 that began as a part of general motors , and is the only insurance company to successfully be spun off from an auto manufacturer . the company’s headquarters are in winston - salem , nc , and they currently employ over 3 , 500 people in the us .
thanks for reading this review about national general ( formerly gmac ) auto insurance complaints . you can find other reviews of leading auto , home , & life insurance companies on my website & blog . what do you think of national general auto insurance ? did you find this review useful ? comment on my facebook page . if you have questions , contact me at help @ smartshopyourcarinsurance . com . follow me on twitter for important insurance consumer news & new blog entries at carinswatch .
the most common reasons , for people to file auto & home insurance complaints with a state insurance department against insurance companies , are for delays in a claim payment , unsatisfactory payment of a claim , and denial of a claim . the complaint statistics used in this national general insurance group review are the number of upheld complaints filed against the national general companies with a state’s insurance regulatory authority , adjusted for each subsidiary company’s market share , as determined by the national association of insurance commissioners . this review provides valuable information to help you decide if national general is best for you . by choosing a company with a better - than - average complaint history , or at least avoiding companies with consistent , worse - than - average complaint records , you decrease the likelihood you will have a negative experience , when you need your auto or home insurance company .
according to our rate test , national general was about 9 % higher than the other insurance companies we have tested using the same details . it looks like the extra features the car insurance policies come with adds to the cost . anyone interested in national general insurance is invited to get their own quote , since it can certainly vary . drivers of gm cars may also see a reduction , since they give a discount for them .
during the economic downturn , the gmac business unit was separated from general motors , and subsequently bailed out by the federal government . since then , the banking and lending division was re - branded as ally financial , and as of july 2013 the insurance division has taken a new name , national general insurance .
the detailed information in this review compares national general ( gmac ) auto insurance to the industry average and competing companies for customer service , claims processing performance , customer complaints , financial strength , and insurance rates , but if if you don’t want to read all the details , you can go to this review on my website here , to see if national general / gmac consistently performs better than average , average , or worse than average for customer service , claims , and pricing , and compare national general / gmac to over 40 other u . s . auto & home insurance companies .
national general insurance online , inc . is available in the states of alabama , arizona , florida , illinois , indiana , missouri , oregon , pennsylvania , south carolina , tennessee , & washington .
these companies scored . 1 % or more lower than national general / gmac in the 2013 southeast region study : allstate and kentucky farm bureau .
national general insurance has a fairly large base of rv customers that get coverage from them . their plans are similar in nature to their car insurance , and they offer a lot of the same features . there is an optional full replacement cost coverage that is available in case your rv is totaled or stolen . this feature is appealing and might offer piece of mind in case of such unfortunate experiences . the policies are actually underwritten by national general insurance .
i’ll analyze the change in the jd power home & auto insurance scores & ratings for the national general ( formerly gmac ) insurance companies from 2012 to 2015 , and compare them to the scores of leading competitors , like state farm , allstate , the hartford , travelers , safeco , nationwide , liberty mutual , farmers , progressive , & geico . i’ll review the am best financial strength rating ( fsr ) for the national general insurance subsidiaries , too .
national general’s primary business is auto insurance . their policies offer the same coverage types found with just about every other major insurer , including comprehensive , collision and liability protection . unlike most other insurance companies we have reviewed , their “unique features” actually have some benefits not commonly found . these are primarily used as marketing gimmicks , but drivers may actually find something with national general that they cannot get anywhere else :
the integon national insurance company subsidiary has a higher than average number of auto insurance complaints in four of the last five years , with its number of auto insurance complaints in its worst year during this period ( 2014 ) , at 80 % more than the industry average . the auto insurance market share for national general assurance company has increased greatly each year since 2010 , which may be a strong indication of competitive pricing for its auto insurance , in at least some of the states where it operates .
assigned to insurance companies that have , in our opinion , an excellent ability to meet their ongoing insurance obligations .
b = better than average . insurance companies with complaint ratios less than 75 % of the average insurance company .
w = worse than average . insurance companies with complaint ratios more than 125 % of the average insurance company .
while national general is still branding itself in the property line of business , it has produced a culture and environment that not only recognizes the talent of their employees but promotes those that reflect the 4e’s . i’ve been able to advance my career while working for national general with the help of great coworkers and management .
it shouldn’t be hard to choose the coverages that are best for you . that’s why you’ll get straight talk from national general insurance . because in today’s “switch and save” insurance marketplace , we believe you should switch and stay with an insurer that’s in it for the long haul .
national general / gmac had too small a sample share of responding customers in 2013 & 2014 , so it was not scored or rated in these two years .
“this is the culmination of three - plus years of transformation into a world - class insurer , ” said michael karfunkel , chairman and ceo of national general insurance . “our new state - of - the - art policy administration system , which has earned accolades for its ease of use , and the supplemental health products we’re now offering customers , are examples of how national general insurance is transforming and enhancing relationships with customers , agents and affinity partners . ”
national general has been and continues to be a wonderful place for career development . the environment is friendly , the people are awesome , and the company is growing quickly .
so you don’t have to worry about comparing complaint ratio numbers , i devised a rating system to help you identify if national general has a good or poor complaint record .
based on a . m . best ' s analysis , 052590 - national general holdings corp . is the amb ultimate parent and identifies the topmost entity of the corporate structure . view a list of operating insurance entities in this structure .
national general insurance offers exciting opportunities to smart , motivated individuals who are looking to build a successful future working for a best - in - class insurance provider . we ' ll help you discover new beginnings in a dynamic learning environment and set you on the right path to achieving your professional goals .
i was rear - ended by a national general policyholder and dealing with national general was awful ! [ redacted ] was the adjuster handling my incident and she never returned my calls or emails . i had to call the general line every time i needed a response and escalate my issue and then would get a return call . i have no clue why anyone would insure with this company after seeing the many negative reviews on various sites .
the new south insurance company subsidiary maintained a better - than - average auto insurance complaint history from 2010 to 2013 , but its number of auto insurance complaints in 2014 was 4 % more than the industry average . the auto insurance market share for new south insurance company decreased greatly each year since 2012 , which may be an indication new south insurance company no longer has competitive pricing for its auto insurance , in at least some of the states where it operates .
byron storms , president of national general insurance said “the new name and brand signify a substantial infusion of energy wrapped around our long - standing commitment to customer service . our name is new but our deep dedication to our policyholders is unchanged . ”
national general insurance is a thriving company committed to ensuring that you achieve your personal best . working here means you ' re advancing your career at a best - in - class insurance provider that is leading the industry in innovation . you will be given all the resources you need to take charge of your own future success .
i agree . worst insurance company - rude employee’s - you pay way too much and then they don’t cover you . we’ll be cancelling asap . dear national general - i hope you go bankrupt ! might hire a lawyer since you failed to cover us .
this section of the review will analyze the jd power ratings & numerical scores for national general insurance ( formerly gmac ) , in all the jd power insurance studies where the company was included in the last few years , to see if its jd power ratings truly reflect the quality of the claims & customer service for the company .
i was rear - ended by someone covered under national general . i filed a claim . the adjuster gave me the run around , so i eventually filed with my insurance company , but am looking to be reimbursed for my deductible . it is going on two months and national general has not done a thing . a police report was filed . i filed complaints with bbb and the insurance commissioner . if nothing results by december , i will have no other choice but to take the other driver to small claims court .
this , so called insurance company is a total scam…they will not pay claims and there is obviously no person you can talk to…i spoke to 31 people and they just kept transferring the call to someone else . . i am out of over $ 9000 plus my insurance payments…do not , i repeat , do not even think to purchase insurance from national general . . i am now with a reputable company .
another measure of quality for an auto or home insurance company is the number of upheld complaints filed against it with a state’s insurance regulatory authority , adjusted for the company’s market share . this section of the review will show you if national general auto & home insurance has a better - than - average , average , or below - average complaint record for 2010 , 2011 , 2012 , 2013 & 2014 .
southeast region auto insurance satisfaction summary : national general / gmac scored 2 . 6 % , and 1 . 3 % below the region average each year in the 2012 & 2013 studies respectively , but was not included in the 2014 study . the scores for national general / gmac in the 2012 & 2013 studies are only 6 points apart ( on a 1 , 000 point scale ) , in spite of the variance in how far below average it performed in each of these years . although there is no score for 2014 , i would expect below average auto insurance customer satisfaction for national general / gmac in the southeast region states of al , ga , ky , la , ms , nc , sc , and tn .
the integon casualty insurance company subsidiary has maintained a better - than - average auto insurance complaint history over the last five years , with its number of auto insurance complaints in its worst year during this period , at 29 % of the industry average . the auto insurance market share for integon casualty insurance company has decreased slightly from 2013 to 2014 , which may be an indication integon casualty insurance company no longer has competitive pricing for its auto insurance , in at least some of the states where it operates .
the integon preferred insurance company subsidiary has a higher than average number of auto insurance complaints in the most recent four of the last five years , with its number of auto insurance complaints in 2014 at 162 % more than the industry average . the auto insurance market share for integon preferred insurance company has increased greatly from 2013 to 2014 , almost doubling in size , which may be a strong indication integon preferred insurance company now has competitive pricing for its auto insurance , in at least some of the states where it operates .
if you ' re calling in a moment of roadside distress , or simply have a policy question , national general insurance will be there when you need us . whether you’re calling about your car , rv , motorcycle , or home , you can be certain that your insurance , and the people who stand behind it , will come through for you .
horrible , stay away . high insurance and no transparency , hidden charges arrogant customer services . they are here to steal your money , not to provide insurance
2013 : national general / gmac scored 13 points ( on a 1 , 000 point scale ) or 1 . 3 % below the 2013 southeast region average , at 791 out of 1 , 000 points .
2012 : national general / gmac scored 26 points ( on a 1 , 000 point scale ) or 2 . 6 % below the 2012 southeast region average , at 785 out of 1 , 000 points .
these companies scored 2 . 3 % or more lower than national general / gmac in the 2012 jd power auto claims satisfaction study : mercury , 21st century , encompass , esurance , and commerce ( mapfre ) .
right now this is the worse insurance company i had in over 45 years .
integon general insurance corporation is available in the states of alabama , colorado , florida , georgia , missouri , north carolina , ohio , rhode island , south carolina , tennessee , & virginia .
2012 : national general / gmac scored 5 points ( on a 1 , 000 point scale ) or . 5 % below the 2012 jd power auto claims satisfaction study average , at 847 out of 1 , 000 points .
for a list of companies that we recommend , visit our best insurance companies page .
you can check allstate’s complaint statistics in my allstate insurance complaints & ratings review here .
at national general insurance , we are looking for dedicated individuals with strong core values and solid experience . with locations throughout the united states , you can find the right position for you that can help expand your knowledge and talents . you ' ll be respected for your contributions and given the resources necessary to succeed .
national general is the worst insurance company ever . they fraudulently charge you , lie about the rate your going to get and are a nightmare to deal with regarding claims . they even made me insure my ex because she refused to send info on his new address . horrible company do not use ! ! ! !
you may really like your car or home insurance company , or you may have heard from relatives or friends about the insurance companies they think are better or worse than others , but you never really know how good your insurance company will be , until you have a serious claim . the good news is many insurance companies settle a good portion of their claims in a manner acceptable to the majority of their customers . however , the wise consumer should avoid insurance companies with a worse than average history of auto or home insurance complaints .
in 2016 , jd power did a study of the us auto insurance industry that focused on the overall satisfaction of the major insurance companies . national general received 2 out of 5 for “overall satisfaction” which meant about average . their overall score in categories first notice of loss ( fnol ) , service interaction , and settlement was 2 out of 5 . us insurance agents website gives the company an overall score of 2 . 5 out of 5 with many of the complaints being poor customer service and issues with claims .
above are the auto insurance complaint statistics for personal express , and its homeowners insurance complaint statistics are below . if you are a california auto or home owner , and interested in getting a price quote from personal express , you can visit the personal express insurance company website .
you can check the geico complaint statistics in my geico insurance complaints & ratings review here .
you can check the progressive complaint statistics in my progressive insurance complaints & ratings review here .
my first couple weeks here at national general insurance has been nothing short of amazing ! i came in knowing absolutely nothing about insurance , but everyone around here makes it their business to make sure i am not left behind . the entire staff is super friendly and seems to treat everyone as if we are one big happy family . i am extremely thankful for this opportunity and i am excited to see what the future holds .
national general offers homeowners insurance , but they do not actually underwrite the policy . similar to companies like progressive and geico , home , renters and condo insurance can be purchased and serviced through them , but there is a different company that is actually paying the bills . because of this , specific details will vary by state . however , the vast majority of plans will come with standard protection like personal property and home liability .
the national general insurance group companies had their a - ( excellent ) am best financial strength rating with a stable outlook ( no ratings upgrade or downgrade is expected in the near future ) reaffirmed on 5 / 29 / 2015 . a - is the fourth highest rating for am best . i become concerned with any car or homeowners insurance company or subsidiary with less than an a - rating for financial strength from am best .
these companies scored 1 . 9 % or more higher than national general / gmac in the 2013 southeast region study : usaa , tennessee farm bureau , state farm , north carolina farm bureau , auto - owners , alfa , and liberty mutual .
as mentioned earlier in this review , national general has ten subsidiary companies insuring private passenger vehicles in the states where the company sells auto insurance . the use of more than one auto insurance subsidiary company is usually to offer different pricing to specific risk profiles ( for example , drivers with a clean driving record vs . drivers with tickets and accidents ) , operate in a certain us state or group of states , or for selling through different sales channels , such as buying direct from the company or buying from an independent insurance agency . each subsidiary has its own rates , so if you receive auto insurance quotes direct from the company and from an independent insurance agent , the prices are likely to be different .
i use to work for national general for over 30 years . it was a great company until……a new ceo was hired in 2000 i believe . that’s when things went to hell… . . no longer cared about the customer but the bottom dollar ! then the company was sold in 2010 , and things got even worse ! it makes me sad when i see the national general name with such negative feedback . so much for a great comapny and great employees when greed takes over ! : - (
mic general insurance corporation is available in the states of alaska , alabama , arizona , california , florida , georgia , indiana , michigan , missouri , new jersey , ohio , oklahoma , pennsylvania , & tennessee .
the merger of integon with gmac will strategically complement the direct response preferred and standard personal lines insurance written by gmac ' s present insurance subsidiaries ,
according to the joint statement .
national general insurance does offer a few unique features with their auto insurance policies , but you will pay for it . their premiums came in almost 10 % higher than all the other companies we have tested . as of 2016 including the 4 years prior , the a - rating from am best implies that the financial strength of the the company is stable , which is definitely a pro . if you are weighing the pros versus the cons when searching for an insurance company , there seems to be a lot more complaints when dealing with
this is the worst insurance company i have ever dealt with . sadly , i have metromile , which i like a lot , but this company is handling the claim because metromile farmed out the claims to this company . metromile tells me they no longer issue policies with national general , so i am apparently one of the last lucky few to deal with them . i point this out because i would have never knowingly signed up for insurance with such an awful company . they are basically the auto insurance equivalent of great benefit from the rainmaker .
i had a horrible experience with this insurance company as well . you need to file a complaint with the insurance commissioner in the state where the accident occured . this company is a joke !
c = average . insurance companies with complaint ratios from 75 % to 125 % of the average insurance company . i use a minus sign ( - ) to indicate auto insurance complaint ratios slightly worse than average ( 1 . 05 to 1 . 25 ) and a plus sign ( + ) for auto insurance complaint ratios slightly better than average ( . 95 to . 75 ) .
i filed a complaint and they lied to the insurance commissioner . these people are crooks and liars .
you can check the state farm complaint statistics in my state farm insurance complaints & ratings review here .
the proposed merger culminates efforts by both companies to expand their reach in the financial services industry . integon specializes in underwriting and marketing nonstandard and other specialty automobile insurance products to individuals . gmac helps buyers finance general motors cars and trucks .
am best financial strength ratings are not a measure of customer service or the quality of the claims adjusting for any of the national general companies , but an opinion about their ability to pay claims , remain financially solvent , and stay in business . i recommend avoiding , if possible or practical , any auto or homeowners insurance company with lower than an “a - ” rating for financial strength from am best . some major auto & home insurance companies have higher financial strength ratings than the national general companies , but the difference in financial strength among a + + , a + , a , & a - rated companies is not significant to me unless higher rated companies are the same or better in terms of price , coverage , claims handling , and customer service .
as a sales rep for national general benefits solutions , i have been given all the tools , training and support necessary to thrive in an exciting and ever evolving market . with uncapped earnings potential and a company culture second to none , i couldn’t imagine working for any other organization .
i could write out a massive blow - by - blow , but i’ll save you all the experience of sorting through it . in short : my wife was in an accident , the car was towed to a repair shop , national general’s adjustor inspected the vehicle , and the repairs and costs involved were sorted out between them and the garage . the work then began . two weeks later , the garage finds substantial additional damage inside the car , and national general decides to pull the plug and deem the car a total loss , as opposed to fixing it .
horrible insurance company ! stay away ! ! ! i had to switch to national general after moving to north carolina from washington state . i had progressive but their rates were too high for nc insurance standards . they quoted me 324 $ for 2 cars on full coverage . 2 weeks later i get notice of cancelation of full coverage to liability… because something they messed up on . fixed that . 2 weeks later… my insurance went up to almost $ 700 because they required nc drivers license… . fixed that… they then moved my rates too almost $ 500… . . got another notice of dropping full coverage again because of their mistake… . i cancelled my insurance 3 days after my 492 $ monthly new payment … . instead of prorating… i will only receive $ 40 . stay away from this joke of a insurance company ! please
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integon stock was halted in trading monday at $ 16 per share . general motors closed down 1 / 8 at 55 - 1 / 2 .
i am a former insurance agent and banker turned consumer advocate . my priority is to help educate individuals and families about the different types of insurance they need , and assist them in finding the best place to get it .
these companies scored 1 % or more higher than national general / gmac in the 2012 jd power auto claims satisfaction study : nj manufacturers , usaa , auto - owners , amica , erie , automobile club of southern california , country , american family , the hartford , state farm , allstate , and travelers .
i ran into national general through rv share and was told all rentals would be fully covered . after two months of renting out my rv a driver ran it off the road and now they only want to pay 1 / 3rd of the damage . i would stay away from this company or anything they insure .
integon casualty insurance company is available in the states of connecticut , north carolina , new york , tennessee , & virginia .
general motors acceptance corp . will pay integon holders $ 26 per share , which holders of integon ' s $ 3 . 875 convertible stock also will receive .
these companies scored . 9 % or more higher than national general / gmac in the 2012 southeast region study : usaa , tennessee farm bureau , north carolina farm bureau , state farm , geico , kentucky farm bureau , allstate , auto - owners , nationwide , progressive , metlife , alfa , liberty mutual , and the hartford .
many people pay too much for their insurance because they never shop for better rates , or if they do shop , they don’t check the rates of enough companies . for a lot of people , the best insurance company is the one with the lowest rates . the ad below will take you to links to get online quotes from leading home , auto , health , & life insurance companies in your area . choose the type of insurance , put in your zip , and start shopping now !
i’m happy to say that i filed a complaint with the nc insurance commissioner / nc department of insurance and i have had positive luck . i have not fully achieved what’s due but getting there . the more we all file complaints the sooner national general will be forced to either clean up their act or be run out of nc . the adjuster that i have been dealing with stated she was leaving her job and wanted to close put my claim beforehand . in arguing with her about what crooks they all are she finally snapped back and said why do you think i’m leaving .
be sure to use the information in this review and the ad below this paragraph ( or the ad at the end of this review ) to request price quotes from multiple insurance companies , and find the best auto or home insurance company for you .
the integon indemnity corporation subsidiary has a much higher than average number of auto insurance complaints in 2012 , 2013 & 2014 , with its number of auto insurance complaints in 2014 at 344 % more than the industry average . although the company had less than the average number of auto insurance complaints for 2010 & 2011 , the results for the most recent years are more relevant . the auto insurance market share for integon indemnity corporation has decreased each year over the last five years , which may be an indication integon indemnity corporation does not have competitive pricing for its auto insurance , in at least some of the states where it operates .
the complaint ratios for the national general insurance companies listed below display the ratio of the company’s u . s . market share of closed complaints compared to the company’s u . s . market share of premiums for a specific policy type . complaint ratios lower than “1” have less complaints than average , and complaint ratios over “1” have more complaints than average . the lower the complaint ratio , the less complaints against the company . ideally , you want to choose an auto or home insurance company with complaint ratios less than 1 . 00 each year , at least over the most recent three years .
i will be contacting the bbb on this , good sam club , and plan on looking at other carriers of rv insurance .
my name is michael barnett and i totally agree with everyone…the car lot that i got my from which is wilmon auto sales in eden north carolina said that he was mad at the services they’re giving me that he’s going to put a sign on his door that’s states anyone who has national general insurance with [ redacted ] or [ redacted ] will not be welcomed here…need i say more . they have no sensitivity for the common insurer ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
new york ( cnnfn ) - general motors corp . ' s finance arm and integon corp . said monday that they will merge in a cash transaction valued at $ 550 million .
i had insurance with this company for about 25 years . i recommend that you not obtain auto insurance from them . if you are late on your payments by one minute they will cancel your policy and you will be penalized by them starting your policy all over again . if you try to move to another insurance company it will show up as if your 25 years of insurance with them is only a few months and they will charge you a much higher rate . watch out for this company they will do anything they want . they don’t care about their customers .