In the aftermath of the insurance crisis of 1985, few insurance companies were willing to provide coverage for campgrounds and RV parks. The high cost of premiums charged by the companies caused serious financial problems for the camping industry.

Evergreen forms to protect campground owners

Realizing the catastrophe the camping industry was facing, Evergreen Indemnity Ltd. was formed in 1986. With the financial backing of campground industry leaders, the company put together a specialized campground insurance program offering exceptional service at a competitive price. Evergreen Indemnity was incorporated in Barbados to utilize its advantageous insurance regulations. It is considered an offshore captive insurance company. Offshore captives have been extremely successful in providing coverages that the traditional insurance marketplace seems reluctant to handle. As an offshore company, Evergreen Indemnity provides lower operating costs, specialized risk management, and loss prevention programs that translate into generally lower premiums over the long term.

Timeline of the "Evergreen Program"

• 1973 - After working in the insurance business for a few years, Oscar Hartford & Richard Hartford purchase the Cobb Winslow Insurance Agency in Lewiston, Maine and changed the name to “The Hartford Insurance Agency”.
• 1974 - Richard “Dick” Hartford insures his first campground.  Richard is introduced to the Maine Campground Owners Association and starts a program exclusively for campgrounds and RV parks.  This program exclusively for campgrounds and RV parks is the “Evergreen Program” and is underwritten by various insurance companies for the next twelve years.
• 1975 - Richard is introduced to the National Association of Campground Owners and RV Parks (now known as the Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds – ARVC) and expands his “Evergreen Program” throughout the United States.
• 1986 – The “Evergreen Program” is being underwritten by St. Paul Insurance Company whose executives decide they will no longer insure campgrounds or RV parks.  As Richard looks for a new insurance company to underwrite his program, he realizes that the camping industry needs a long-term stable solution for their insurance.  Richard and twenty-five campground and RV park owners invest monies to create an insurance company – Evergreen Indemnity, Ltd.  Evergreen Indemnity is formed in Barbados and provides property & liability insurance to campgrounds and RV parks.  Evergreen Indemnity is owned and operated by campground and RV park owners and operators with a goal of providing long-term stable insurance solutions for the camping industry.
• 1989 – Richard forms a second company, Evergreen USA RRG, Inc., with the backing of the camping industry.  Evergreen USA is formed under the Federal Liability Risk Retention Act of 1986.  The company writes the liability insurance for campground and RV parks throughout the United States.
• 1992 – A.M. Best gives Evergreen Indemnity a rating of A- “Excellent”.   This is a secure rating.
• 1996 – A.M. Best gives Evergreen USA a rating of B+.  This is a secure rating.
• 1997 – The “Evergreen Program” becomes the “Preferred Insurance Provider” for the Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds (ARVC).
• 2001 – A competitor of Evergreen, Frontier Insurance, suddenly stops writing campgrounds, and Evergreen proves that it is achieving its goal to be a long-term stable insurance solution for the camping industry by stepping in to insure those campgrounds and RV parks that are left without an insurance company.
• 2003 – Evergreen hits a major landmark and now insures over 1,000 campgrounds and RV parks.
• 2005 – Evergreen writes paddlesports operations as part of its program.
• 2009 – Evergreen celebrates thirty-five years of providing insurance solutions for the camping industry and remaining the longest continually run insurance program for campgrounds and RV parks.  Evergreen Indemnity celebrates this event by giving all their clients the “Evergreen Protection Plus” endorsement– providing, at no additional cost, over twenty property coverage enhancements.
• 2009 - Evergreen becomes an approved partner to write KOA's.