Barnstable County Mutual Insurance Company has applied to the Massachusetts Commissioner of Insurance for approval to reorganize under a mutual holding company structure. One of the Commonwealth’s oldest insurers still operating, it was founded as a mutual insurer in 1833,
Under the proposal, Barnstable County Mutual would become a Massachusetts stock insurance company. A newly formed mutual holding company, Barnstable Mutual Holding Company, would own the insurer indirectly through The Barnstable Group, Inc., a newly formed intermediate stock holding company pursuant to M.G.L. c. 175, § 19F, incorporating §§ 19F–19W.
Barnstable previously entered into a strategic collaboration agreement with Quincy Mutual, another Massachusetts insurer founded in 1851, “to pursue mutual benefits”. Under that agreement, Quincy Mutual agreed to provide capital to Barnstable to help scale, grow, and innovate. The agreement called for the two insurers to remain separate and operate independently.
Hearing Scheduled for January 13
Upon receipt of the petition, the Massachusetts Division of Insurance will hold a virtual hearing via Microsoft Teams on January 13, 2027, at 10 a.m. Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 175, § 19H(c). During that meeting, the Commissioner will consider the reasons for the reorganization, the fairness of the plan’s terms, and whether the proposal serves Barnstable’s best interests, treats policyholders fairly and equitably, and is not “detrimental to the insuring public”. The hearing will be conducted according to the Division of Insurance regulations outlined in 211 CMR 144.00.
