In 1891 the Charter of the Methodist and General Assurance Society came into the possession of The Salvation Army. The name became Salvation Army Life Assurance in connexion with The Methodist and General Assurance Society, Limited but was shortened to The Salvation Army Assurance Society, Limited in 1904. The Society operated under this name until 1972 when it merged with the Wesleyan and General Assurance Society which continues to operate today (October 2013) independently of The Salvation Army.
Until the Second World War, the Chief Office of the Salvation Army Assurance Society was in London, alongside International Headquarters in Queen Victoria Street, but for the duration of the War the offices were evacuated to 'Rosehill', a country house near Reading. During 1947, the Chief Office moved to new premises at 220-226 Tottenham Court Road, London W1, but 'Rosehill' was retained until 1960 as a Conference Centre.
The dual aims of the Society were to undertake life insurance business (industrial and ordinary) and to promote and support the religious and charitable work of The Salvation Army. The Society was staffed by officers and non-officers in its Chief Offices and by non-officer 'agents' in its branches. The vast majority of agents and non-officer clerical staff employed by the Society were Salvationists to aid it in accomplishing its evangelical objectives. The Society began issuing life assurance policies in 1894. It also produced several successful bands and songster brigades including The Assurance Songsters and The Rosehill Band.
