February 1, 1898

Posted on February 1, 2015 by Joel Byers

On This Date in TWISTED-HISTORY.com! in 1898, Dr. Truman Martin of Buffalo, NY bought the world’s first automobile insurance policy from Travelers Insurance Company of Hartford, CT. He paid $11.25 for the policy and it provided him $5,000 in liability coverage if he hit and injured someone while driving. He also tried to purchase a policy in case ‘something’ happened to his mother-in-law if she was to ever ride with him. Travelers refused this request, as it was too specific and if they ever paid on such a policy, they would quickly go broke from other men purchasing these types of policies and the rash of ‘incidents’ and ‘accidents’ that would ‘spontaneously’ occur to mothers-in-law across the land.

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About Joel Byers

Born in North Georgia and educated at some very fine public institutions. Real education started after graduating from college and then getting married and raising two boys. Has the ability to see the funny and absurd in most things and will always remark on it, even if it means getting the stink-eye from his victims.
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