Office address: 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
Website: aig.com
Year established: 1919
Company type: financial services
Employees: 25,000+
Expertise: property casualty insurance, risk management, commercial insurance, cyber insurance, group accident and health, captive solutions, management and professional liability, specialty risks, multinational solutions, warranty and service programs
Parent company: N/A
Key people: Peter Zaffino (CEO); Ed Dandridge, Christopher Flatt, Charlie Fry, Keith Walsh, Chris Schaper, and Rose Marie Glazer (EVPs)
Financing status: corporation
AIG (American International Group) is an insurance group in New York that works with clients in more than 200 countries. It offers property casualty insurance, risk management, and financial services, with $24 billion in net premiums written in 2024. The company has a large workforce and a strong presence in both commercial and personal insurance markets.
AIG dates back to 1919, when Cornelius Vander Starr set up American Asiatic Underwriters in Shanghai, China. The company quickly grew, with Nelle Vander Starr joining in 1923 and becoming its first woman executive. By 1926, AIG had opened its first US office in New York City which marked the start of its American story.
AIG moved its main offices to New York City in 1939 because of World War II. It opened offices in Cuba, the UK, and Australia by the late 1950s. In the 1960s, the company was incorporated in Delaware and began trading publicly, which set the stage for even more growth.
AIG made history in 1992 as the first foreign insurer licensed in China in over 40 years. The company also launched one of the first cyber security insurance programs in 1999. The firm then formed a joint venture with Tata Group in India and acquired Travel Guard.
The firm faced a major test during the 2008 financial crisis, receiving government support but repaying it by 2012. The company continued to grow when it acquired Fuji Fire and Marine in Japan and Validus Holdings, Ltd. in 2018.
In recent years, AIG became the title sponsor of the Women’s British Open and helped triple the tournament’s prize money. This highlights its commitment to equality and excellence in sports.
Today, AIG serves clients in about 190 countries and jurisdictions. The company states that it remains dedicated to creating opportunities and raising standards for clients and partners around the world
AIG delivers insurance and investment products for individuals and businesses, using global reach and expertise to meet complex needs:
AIG is also recognized for its strong claims support and global network. The company helps clients manage risk, protect assets, and plan for the future in many markets.
AIG reports that its purpose is to help clients face uncertainty and build confidence for the future. The company says they are shaped by a commitment to learning, trust, and working together, guided by these values:
According to the company, employees are given support and space to grow, with a focus on tackling challenges together. AIG lists several benefits for its staff:
AIG also says that it builds a culture where everyone is respected and included. The company reports it uses fair pay structures and supports career growth for all employees.
Peter Zaffino is the chairperson and CEO of AIG, taking on both roles in 2021 and 2022 respectively. Before joining the firm in 2017, Zaffino held executive positions at Marsh & McLennan Companies and GE Capital. He has a bachelor’s degree from Boston College and an MBA from New York University.
The executive leadership team at AIG brings strong experience in insurance and finance:
AIG’s executive leadership team oversees core functions in marketing, underwriting, reinsurance, finance, risk management, and legal affairs, each led by experienced industry professionals.
AIG welcomed over 120 interns in 2025 to give students real-world experience and build future talent. The company offered hands-on learning in areas like claims, finance, and underwriting, helping interns develop industry skills and professional networks. This program supports its long-term growth by preparing new professionals who understand its business and values.
The company also helped boost the visibility of women’s golf by serving as the title sponsor of the AIG Women’s Open. It helped triple the prize money and secured play on famous courses which made the event more competitive and global. The firm continues its focus on equality and works to lead in supporting women’s sports.
The special master for executive compensation under the Troubled Asset Relief Program told a congressional panel last Wednesday that he does not believe American International Group Inc. will repay all the money it has received from the federal government.
A judge in Los Angeles Superior Court pushed back a lawsuit against AIG from a financial planner who once worked for an AIG broker-dealer.
American International Group Inc. chief executive Robert H. Benmosche's reported threat to quit two weeks ago — and subsequent pledge to continue his work at AIG — sets the stage for a battle over pay curbs while underscoring the enormous challenges AIG still faces, observers say.
American International Group Inc. has released a letter Benmosche sent to employees Wednesday following a Wall Street Journal report that said he was threatening to quit. The Journal said Benmosche has been frustrated by heavy government oversight and cumbersome restrictions on executive pay.
The Treasury Department’s decision to increase its bailout package to AIG, doesn’t signal a larger effort to aid companies outside the banking sector.
Mention 401(k) to financial advisers and most will say that they lack the knowledge, resources and time to compete with the relative handful of those who specialize in retirement plan sales.
Earlier today, Robert Benmosche, CEO of AIG, sent a memo to employees at the insurance company addressing speculation about his potential departure. The text of his memo is below:
A Wells Fargo Securities analyst today speculated that Prudential Financial Inc. may target ING's U.S. retirement business as an acquisition.
American International Group Inc. today said it would sell its Hong Kong consumer finance unit to the China Construction Bank Asia Corp. Ltd.
After months of pursuit, Donald Marron finally has landed a broker-dealer network, and the former chairman and chief executive of PaineWebber Group Inc. can't think more highly of its potential.
AIG said Friday it was profitable for the second straight quarter as its core insurance operations continue to stabilize after the company's bailout by the government last year.
Kenneth Feinberg, President Obama's “pay czar,” last week capped and restructured the salaries of top executives at seven embattled corporations that have not yet repaid the help they received from the federal government last year.
If the SEC has its way, more disciplinary information about brokers will be available to investors.
The fierce debate over bonuses for bailed-out executives was revived on Capitol Hill Wednesday as a government watchdog explained how some executives nearly brought down the financial system — then pocketed millions.
