On 30 May 1848 a group of Victorian gentlemen met in London to form the Prudential Mutual Assurance, Investment and Loan Association. The figure of Prudence was adopted as a symbol to be used on the first company seal and represent the values of the business. By 1898 Prudential had become the leading UK life assurance company and by 1914, one in three British households had a policy with the Pru. During the 1920s Prudential began to expand across the globe, with the first overseas life branch established in India in 1923. By 1939, new net business in the overseas life branches was rivalling the success of the UK business.
Prudential’s international business continued to grow rapidly through the latter part of the 20th century. In 1986, Prudential gained a firm foothold in the United States with the acquisition of Jackson National Life Insurance Company, and Prudential Corporation Asia was established in 1994 in recognition of the high potential for growth in Asia.
Today, Prudential plc combines the exciting growth potential of our Asia, US and Africa businesses as a leading international insurance and asset management group. The Company remains headquartered and premium listed in London. Across the world, Prudential continues to help people de-risk their lives and deal with their biggest financial concerns.