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Aflac

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Not to be confused with Aflaq or Affleck.

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Company typePublic
IndustryFinancial services
Insurance
FoundedNovember 17, 1955; 69 years ago (1955-11-17)[1] (as American Family Life Insurance Company of Columbus)
FounderJohn Amos
Paul Amos
Bill Amos
HeadquartersAflac Building
Columbus, Georgia, U.S.
Area served
United States
Japan
Key people
Dan Amos (Chairman, CEO)
Frederick J. Crawford (CFO)
ProductsSupplemental health &
life insurance
RevenueIncrease US$22.3 billion (2019)[2]
Increase US$4.44 billion (2019)[2]
Increase US$3.30 billion (2019)[2]
Total assetsIncrease US$152.77 billion (2019)[2]
Total equityIncrease US$28.95 billion (2019)[2]
Number of employees
11,729 (2019)[2]
ParentAflac Incorporated Edit this on Wikidata
Websiteaflac.com

Aflac Inc. /ˈæflæk/ (American Family Life Assurance Company) is an American insurance company and is the largest provider of supplemental insurance in the United States.[3] The company was founded in 1955 and is based in Columbus, Georgia. In the U.S., Aflac underwrites a wide range of insurance policies, but is perhaps more known for its payroll deduction insurance coverage, which pays cash benefits when a policyholder has a covered accident or illness. The company states it "provides financial protection to more than 50 million people worldwide".[4]

In 2009, Aflac acquired Continental American Insurance Company for $100 million;[5] this enabled Aflac to sell supplemental insurance on both the individual and group platform.[6] As of June 30, 2012, Aflac was represented by approximately 19,300 sales agencies in Japan, and 76,900 licensed sales associates in the U.S.[7]

History

The company was founded by brothers John, Paul (died 2014), and William Amos in Columbus, Georgia, in 1955, as American Family Life Insurance Company of Columbus. In 1964, the company name was changed to American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus. The company, in 1990, adopted the Aflac acronym, although the official name of the underwriting subsidiary remains American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus. Aflac announced the appointment of Frederick J. Crawford as Chief Financial Officer, as well as Executive Vice President in June 2015.[8]

The company signed 6,426 policyholders in its first year.[9] Aflac pioneered cancer insurance in 1958. Beginning in 1964, the company decided to focus sales on worksite settings, eventually through policies sponsored by employers and funded through payroll deductions. By 2003, more than 98% of Aflac policies in the United States were issued on a payroll deduction basis, making the company a leader in that approach to policy distribution.

Business

Aflac operates in the United States and Japan, and has its worldwide headquarters and corporate offices in an eighteen-story tower just east of Downtown Columbus, Georgia, in an area known as MidTown. The Aflac tower is the tallest building in the city. As of June 30, 2015, the corporation's total assets were more than $103 billion, and the company insured more than 50 million people worldwide.[10]

Aflac is the largest provider of guaranteed-renewable insurance in the United States and the largest insurance company overall in Japan, when measured by individual insurance policies in force.[11]

The company now offers several types of insurance policies in the United States, including the following:

  • Accident
  • Cancer/Specified Disease
  • Dental
  • Hospital Confinement Indemnity
  • Hospital Confinement Sickness Indemnity
  • Hospital Intensive Care
  • Life
  • Lump Sum Cancer
  • Lump Sum Cancer Critical Illness
  • Specified Health Event
  • Short Term Disability
  • Vision

Aflac also offers un-reimbursed medical, dependent day-care, and transportation flexible spending accounts. The company additionally offers human resources services for HIPAA and COBRA. From 1979 to 1997, the company owned several television stations, most of them in small and medium markets. It sold the broadcasting division (including flagship station WTVM) to what became Raycom Media in 1997.[12]

Aflac is ranked 137th in the Fortune 500 list of largest United States corporations by revenue.[13]

Critics of cancer policies

Consumer groups and some government officials say that cancer insurance returns fewer premium dollars to policyholders than standard insurance. A United States General Accounting Office study found that the policies paid back as little as 35% of premiums (Aflac said its cancer insurance paid back 62.4%). In comparison, New York State requires most major-medical policies to pay back 82% and group policies to pay back 75%. New York State does not allow stand-alone cancer policies.

In 1997, AFLAC spent $175,000 on lobbyists and campaign contributions to change the law.[14] New York State lifted its ban in 1998, for purchasers who already have basic coverage. Consumer Reports recommended that policyholders use the money instead to buy lower-deductible insurance.[15]

Insurance claims by line appear on the Annual Statement filed with each state. Loss claims are a percent of total premium before commissions.

The Aflac Duck

Since December 1999, the company's identity and brand has become more widely recognized in the United States as the result of TV commercials featuring the Aflac Duck, who frustratedly quacks the company's name to unsuspecting prospective policy holders. The duck concept and all of the commercials to date have been created by Kaplan Thaler Group, an advertising agency based in New York City. Metzer Farms, a Gonzales, California, waterfowl and gamebird hatchery, supplied them with the initial ducklings that each grew into the famous duck. Struggling to come up with a concept to make the big but relatively obscure insurance company's name memorable, one of the agency's art directors stumbled upon the duck idea while walking around Central Park at lunchtime uttering, "Aflac, Aflac." He soon realized how much the company's name sounded like a duck's quack. The Aflac Duck character has now starred in more than 30 commercials. In many of these commercials, character actor Earl Billings also appears. The Aflac Duck is enshrined on Madison Avenue's Walk of Fame as one of America's Favorite Advertising Icons.[16]

In April 2009, Aflac introduced a new marketing campaign called "Get the Aflacts", designed to educate consumers about the specific benefits of the insurance products the company sells. The Aflacts campaign gave the Aflac Duck "a more prominent role", designed to "help potential customers learn the Aflacts, er, facts about policies and other products", according to The New York Times.[17]

Celebrities have starred in the Aflac ads, including Chevy Chase (2003); Yogi Berra; Yao Ming; Donald Trump's wife and current First Lady, Melania Trump (2005); NASCAR Cup Series driver Carl Edwards (2008–2014); the United States Olympic synchronized swimming team (2004); and Wayne Newton playing at Stardust Hotel and Casino for the 2003 commercial. The duck also appeared with Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.[18] In 2005, the company logo was changed to incorporate the duck. The first commercial using the new logo featured Gilbert Gottfried at a pet store because the duck kept saying, "Aflac!" and he had to trade in the duck for a parrot, saying, "If you're hurt and can't work".[19]

The duck was originally voiced by comedian Gilbert Gottfried, who also voiced Digit on the PBS Kids series Cyberchase and Iago in the Disney film Aladdin.[20] After 11 years as the voice of the Aflac duck, Gottfried was dismissed on March 14, 2011, due to jokes on Gottfried's Twitter account referencing the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. The company's chief marketing officer stated that "Gilbert's recent comments about the crisis in Japan were lacking in humor, and certainly do not represent the thoughts and feelings of anyone at Aflac."[21]

On March 23, 2011, Aflac announced that the company was taking applications for the new voice of the Aflac Duck through QuackAflac.com until April 1. Commercials requesting the submissions, first aired in 2006 but updated, resemble a silent movie.[22][23] On April 26, 2011, it was announced that Daniel McKeague, a television advertising sales manager from Hugo, Minnesota, would be the new voice of the Aflac duck.[24] The first Aflac commercial featuring the duck's new voice aired on May 1, 2011.

In 2018, an Aflac ad inserted an animated Aflac duck into the opening credits of the DuckTales reboot.[25] In 2020, an Aflac ad inserted an animated Aflac duck into the opening credits of Scoob!.

Corporate philanthropy and social responsibility

The company states that through a partnership with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Aflac has contributed more than $100 million to childhood cancer research and treatment.[26]

Aflac employees are formally involved in an array of charitable organizations such as Habitat for Humanity International, the Easter Seals, and the United Way.[27]

Aflac's stated objectives include the decrease of its environmental impact, for which the company is into a partnership with the Clean Air Campaign to encourage employees to engage with greater frequency in alternate commuting methods.[28]

Aflac and Macy's Partnership

Aflac and Macy’s have partnered since 2001 to sell the annual Aflac holiday plush duck in select Macy’s stores nationwide.[29] Net proceeds from each duck sold are donated to the participating children’s cancer facility nearest to where it is purchased. Since 2001, more than $3 million has been raised from the sale of the ducks.[30]

Aflac has participated in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for the past six years. A new balloonicle was unveiled in 2014, featuring the Aflac Duck wearing ice skates.[31]

COVID-19

Aflac expects an increase in claims due to COVID-19.[32]

Award programs

See also: Baseball awards § U.S. high-school baseball

Aflac National High School Baseball Player of the Year (first presented in 2004).[33]

The Jackie Robinson Award is given to the high-school player who is entering his senior year and who best displays character, leadership, and the values of being a student athlete in academics and community affairs.[33] The award is presented at an annual All-American Awards banquet, which was first held in 2003.[34] The banquet follows the annual All-American Baseball Classic, an East-West all-star game featuring the 38 best players from around the nation who are entering their senior year of high school.[33][34] First held in 2003, the game is played at Petco Park, San Diego, California.[33][35] Proceeds from the game and banquet are donated to Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego and its fight against childhood cancer.[35]

In 2011, the name of the all-star game was changed to the Perfect Game All-American Classic.[35]

Awards and honors

Aflac has been the recipient of several awards:

  • Aflac has appeared on Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For list for 20 consecutive years.
  • Aflac has appeared on Fortune's America's Most Admired Companies list for 17 years.
  • Aflac has been recognized by Ethisphere magazine as a World's Most Ethical Companies for 12 consecutive years, and is the only insurance company to do so.[36]
  • Aflac has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America for six consecutive years.
  • In August 2016, Latina Style magazine placed Aflac on the list of the 50 Best Companies for Latinas to work for in the United States. Aflac has been on this annual list for 17 years.
  • Aflac has appeared on Black Enterprise magazine's list of the Top 40 Best Companies for Diversity for 10 years.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Our History". Aflac.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "US SEC: Form 10-K Aflac, Incorporated". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  3. ^ "Aflac Profit Rises 20% on Japanese Currency Strength". Bloomberg. April 29, 2009.
  4. ^ "About Aflac". Aflac. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  5. ^ "Aflac, Form 8-K, Current Report, Filing Date July 29, 2009" (PDF). Aflac. Retrieved December 31, 2012 – via secdatabase.com.
  6. ^ "Press Releases - Aflac" (Press release). Aflac.[full citation needed]
  7. ^ "Aflac, Form 10-Q, Quarterly Report, Filing Date August 3, 2012" (PDF). Aflac. Retrieved January 1, 2013 – via secdatabase.com.
  8. ^ Adams, Tony. "Aflac grabs executive away from insurance competitor for CFO job". Ledger-Enquirer. Archived from the original on June 27, 2015. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  9. ^ "Aflac History". Aflac.
  10. ^ "Aflac, Form 8-K, Current Report, Filing Date July 28, 2015" (PDF). Aflac. Retrieved September 5, 2015 – via secdatabase.com.
  11. ^ Williams, Mary Elizabeth (March 15, 2011). "Sympathy for Gilbert Gottfried". Salon. Archived from the original on March 18, 2011.
  12. ^ Treaster, Joseph B. (August 14, 1996). "Venture in Accord to Buy 7 TV Stations From Aflac". The New York Times.
  13. ^ "Fortune 500 Companies 2018: Who Made the List". Fortune. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  14. ^ Cropper, Carol Marie (April 20, 1997). "When the Policy Covers Only One Disease". The New York Times.
  15. ^ Esteb Cureton, Sally; Cureton, Dave. "Cancer Insurance: Is It Right For You?". cancerpage.com. Archived from the original on April 4, 2012. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  16. ^ "About Aflac". Aflac. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  17. ^ "Not Daffy or Donald, but Still Aflac's Rising Star". The New York Times. April 21, 2009.
  18. ^ Looney Tunes Aflac Commercial (Video). Retrieved July 6, 2014 – via YouTube.
  19. ^ The Hall of Advertising (January 26, 2012). Aflac: Pet Shop (2005, USA) (Video). Retrieved May 10, 2018 – via YouTube.
  20. ^ "The AFLAC Duck Selected as One of America's Favorite Icons" (Press release). Aflac. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  21. ^ "Gilbert Gottfried fired by Aflac over Japan tsunami jokes". Los Angeles Times. March 14, 2011.
  22. ^ "Are you annoying? Aflac needs new duck voice". NBC News. Associated Press. March 23, 2011. Retrieved March 31, 2011.
  23. ^ Elliott, Stuart (March 22, 2011). "Aflac and Monster Team Up to Find a Duck's Voice". The New York Times. Retrieved March 31, 2011.
  24. ^ Peterson, Kim (April 26, 2011). "Aflac duck gets Minnesota accent?". MSN Money. Archived from the original on April 29, 2011. Retrieved April 26, 2011.
  25. ^ https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/duck-tales-aflac-advertising-disney-1202564375/
  26. ^ "Children's Healthcare of Atlanta". Aflac. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
  27. ^ "Community Involvement". Aflac. Archived from the original on March 25, 2010. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
  28. ^ "Aflac: Saving money and the environment". The Clean Air Campaign. Archived from the original on February 13, 2011. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
  29. ^ "Aflac and Macy's promote holiday campaign with social media and messaging app". Mobile Marketer. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  30. ^ "Aflac Holiday Duck Sings in a Festive Season of Giving for Kids Fighting Cancer" (Press release). Aflac. Retrieved November 16, 2016 – via PRNewswire.
  31. ^ Neumeister, Larry (November 27, 2014). "Americans mark Thanksgiving with parades, turkey". Fort Wayne, IN: WANE-TV. Associated Press. Archived from the original on November 16, 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  32. ^ "Aflac Expects Claims to Increase With Covid-19 Hospital Visits - Bloomberg". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  33. ^ a b c d "The 2010 Aflac National High School Player of The Year Nominees Announced". Satellite TV News. Satellite Television. August 9, 2010. Archived from the original on January 9, 2012. Retrieved November 10, 2011. The seventh annual Aflac National High School Baseball Player of the Year Award will be presented at the Aflac All-American Awards dinner to be held at the San Diego Hall of Champions on August 14.
  34. ^ a b "Fox Sports Network's Live coverage of 2010 Aflac All-American Baseball Classic on August 15: 2010 Aflac All-American Baseball Classic Roster Announced". Satellite TV News. July 8, 2010. Archived from the original on September 18, 2012. Retrieved November 10, 2011. The Aflac All-American Baseball Classic is ... part of Aflac's ... commitment to the fight against childhood cancer, with ticket proceeds benefiting Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego. Since 2003, the Aflac All-American Baseball Classic has generated nearly $805,000 for charity.
  35. ^ a b c "2011 Perfect Game All-American Classic Rosters Announced". Satellite TV News. July 28, 2011. Archived from the original on April 25, 2012. Retrieved November 10, 2011. Perfect Game All-American Classic alumni have had a significant presence in Major League Baseball's first-year player drafts. Since the game's inception in 2003, 98 alumni have been selected in the first round.... The game has also produced over 40 players that are currently on a Major League Baseball roster. A record 18 Perfect Game All-Americans were taken in the first round of the 2011 draft, 13 of which played in last year's game.
  36. ^ "Honorees".[full citation needed]
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