The Hidden Story Behind America’s Most Powerful Insurance Empire

AIG began in 1919 inside a tiny two-room office in Shanghai, China, founded by 27-year-old Cornelius Vander Starr. From the Huangpu River, Starr built American Asiatic Underwriters into an international insurance network spanning Asia, America, and eventually much of the world. But the empire's greatest strength became its greatest danger. By 2008, AIG was deeply connected to complex financial markets and faced a liquidity crisis that forced an $85 billion U.S. government intervention. Today, AIG remains a reminder that the bigger an empire becomes, the harder its risks can be to see. 🔔 Subscribe to The Lost Manor for more hidden histories behind America's fortunes and financial empires. Copyright & Fair Use Disclaimer This video is a non-commercial, educational history documentary created for commentary, criticism and research. Some archival photos and footage are used under the principles of Fair Use (Section 107, U.S. Copyright Act) for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. #AIG #CorneliusVanderStarr #InsuranceHistory #ShanghaiHistory #FinancialHistory #AmericanHistory #BusinessHistory #HistoryDocumentary #GlobalCapitalism #TheLostManor