Special Collections and Other Outstanding Resources

The Rare Book and Archives Collection contains of The College of Insurance, the Insurance Society of New York, The American Academy of Insurance Medicine, and other important groups such as the proceedings and correspondence of the Insurance Company Education Directors Society, now known as SITE; newsletters and scrapbooks of Insurance Women of New York; and the New York Chapter of the CPCU.

Vertical Files 180 file drawers containing articles, speeches, sample forms and policies that chronicle insurance industry history and product development, worldwide.

William David Winter Collectionof Marine Insurance is a world leader in terms of the scope and the depth of the ocean marine insurance books, publications and collected works. It also serves as a memorial to the late president and chairman of the Atlantic Mutual Insurance Company, William David Winter. The Association of Average Adjusters' collection of American and British maritime law is also housed in the collection.Within this part of the collection are rare books and papers on marine insurance dating to the early 1800s.

The Actuarial and Financial Engineering Collection aims to acquire core information on actuarial science together with financial engineering related to insurance, reinsurance, pensions, employee benefits, social security, investment, corporate finance, health care, risk management and other new areas into which actuaries are moving. This collection was created in 2008 with the actuarial resources already at the Library and new acquisitions from a grant received from the Risk Foundation.

Insurance Department Reports a collection of U.S.state reports providing statistical data submitted by insurance commissioners to the state legislatures each year. This collection spans from 1838 - present, and a growing number of annual reports issued by insurance commissioners of other countries.

Government Documents Room In 1965 the library was designated as a selective Federal Depository Library of U.S.government publications. As such, it receives core (basic) publications automatically, and selects additional items that enhance its insurance collection.

Heber Bishop Churchill  Earthquake Collection, donated in 1950, provides detailed accounts of major catastrophes from the beginning of the 20th century; among them the Tokyo Earthquake of 1923, the San Francisco earthquake and fire of 1906, typhoons of Japan, 1920-1940, and hurricanes of the North Atlantic, New England, and the Caribbean. Since the 1950's, the Library staff has purchased and cataloged all earthquake material coming to its attention, making the Davis Library's collection on natural disasters a leader worldwide today.

Insurance Company Prospectuses discovered during our initial survey of the 180 file drawers of historic records and documents in the Davis Library, we have identified and digitized 128 covers. These prospectuses represent the state of insurance in the United States, England, Ireland, Barbados, and Australia during the mid 19th century. The company prospectuses detail how the companies were formed, the value of the firm's (shares on the market) and some contain their by-laws. Each has a cover that is intricately designed with the insignia of the insurance company, extensive calligraphy and intricate line drawings. To view these files online, click here.

Insurance Company Letterhead Collection A sample collection of insurance company letterheads from early 20th century. (MS Power Point) click here