Rev. Msgr. Henry Gerlach, a Roman Catholic priest, helped establish Catholic Life Insurance in 1901. His goal was to assist German Catholic immigrants to Texas to overcome the struggles of starting life in a new country and learning a new language.
Families at the time had little or no access to life insurance. When someone died, community members would “pass the hat” to raise funds for the family left behind. Despite this aid, many families were forced to split up when the breadwinner died. Life insurance offered these families protection and financial security.
Our organization was created to fill the vital need for securing families’ lives. Over time Catholic Life transformed from a German Catholic organization to a Catholic one and finally to an organization that welcomes people of all faiths. Today, more than 80,000 members turn to us for their life insurance and retirement needs.