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Author
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Topic: Travelers Insurance Co. Apollo 11 memorabilia
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-02-2018 10:34 AM
   
In another thread, the topic of the life insurance policies for the Apollo astronauts was raised. Citing Chris Spain's Space Flown Artifacts website: For Apollo 11, the Travelers Insurance Co, of Hartford, Conn. approached the astronaut office offering to provide their insurance, with the premiums being paid for by two Houston firms, the Austral Oil Company and the Cullen Central Bank. According to Earl Bells, a manager at Travelers' Houston office who set up the Apollo 11 insurance policy, Neil Armstrong forbade any publicity about this deal. That last point, about no publicity, resulted in another cS member (MOL) sharing the following via email: I was reading the post regarding Travelers Insurance and that Neil Armstrong forbade any publicity regarding the Apollo 11 crew's policies. Well this luggage tag seems to indicate that they did not follow that request!  A couple of questions come to mind: - Does anyone know when this tag was produced? The dates on the tag seem to suggest it was post-mission, but how far after?
- Is this the only item Travelers Insurance Co. produced promoting their policies for the Apollo astronauts?
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Larry McGlynn
Member Posts: 1255
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 01-02-2018 06:35 PM
Travelers did advertise the Apollo 12 life insurance program and continued to advertise afterward. Since Lloyd's took over the insurance program, they have not advertised their part in the Apollo. I found this lucite on Lunar Legacies this year. It now sits in my office conference room next to other insurance company giveaways from the last century.  
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rjurek349
Member Posts: 1190
From: Northwest Indiana
Registered: Jan 2002
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posted 01-02-2018 06:40 PM
They did full page ads, among many things. |
Larry McGlynn
Member Posts: 1255
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 01-02-2018 06:52 PM
Wish I had that in my garage. |
rjurek349
Member Posts: 1190
From: Northwest Indiana
Registered: Jan 2002
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posted 01-02-2018 08:17 PM
Here's another Travelers item from the period. Most likely an office wall plaque used to advertise their "firsts." Note the specific references to Apollo 11.  |
rjurek349
Member Posts: 1190
From: Northwest Indiana
Registered: Jan 2002
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posted 01-02-2018 09:09 PM
I did a quick google search, and in this CIO magazine online article, they have a picture of the actual Apollo 11 policy that they have hanging up on their wall at Travelers. If the link takes you to the photo gallery, it is photo slide no. 11. (Appropriately, so....) quote:
Originally posted by Larry McGlynn:
Wish I had that in my garage.
Larry -- You and me both! Would love to take that one for a spin around the neighborhood.  |
Larry McGlynn
Member Posts: 1255
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 01-04-2018 07:36 AM
We represent Travelers Insurance Group. I have contacted my marketing representative and asked that she point me in the direction of the company historian or the archive location. I would like to do a little more research on their role in providing the insurance for the Apollo crews. She was intrigued about the story (never knew that) and is going to ask who would be responsible for maintaining the company history. All insurance companies like to maintain some form of historical documentation. They do it, because it shows a sense of long term stability. Some of our companies go back to the 18th Century and the beginnings of the business. Love the luggage tag. Those were giveaways at insurance conventions or handled out to agents by marketing reps. The practice still occurs in the present day. Our agency group does it too. |
Rick Mulheirn
Member Posts: 4167
From: England
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 01-04-2018 08:14 AM
Rich and Larry, you have that LM already. You just need to plonk your respective Topping desktop models in the garage... and you are done!  |
nasamad
Member Posts: 2121
From: Essex, UK
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 01-04-2018 11:51 AM
I don't know if it was just a business activity that Charlie Duke was involved in or they did actually offer astronauts insurance polices but I have an International Investors flag that Charlie took to lunar orbit with him in his PPK. |
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