Allied employs more than 4,100 people throughout the U.S, and was formed as ALLIED Mutual Automobile Association in 1929 by John Evans. In 1998, Allied merged with Nationwide Insurance. A Fortune 500 company based in Columbus, OH, Nationwide is one of the country’s largest diversified insurance and financial services organizations. Nationwide is one of the country’s largest auto and home insurer and employs more than 35,000 people throughout the world. In 1998, Allied assumed responsibility for Nationwide’s independent agency system including Nationwide Insurance Company of America (NICOA), formerly known as TIG/Countrywide, in Battle Creek, MI. In 1999, CalFarm Insurance in Sacramento, CA, joined the Nationwide system. These companies now operate as Allied Insurance.