If you can afford to work fewer than five days a week, the benefits of working part-time instead of fulltime are many. You can spend more time and energy on caring for others, pursuing creative projects, or doing charity work. You can also look forward to more learning or skill-building and less stress. Insurance has historically been a business that was founded on part-time workers, Aegon included.

In the mid to late 1900s, directorship at insurance companies, including Aegon's predecessors, was a part-time job: the leadership role frequently rotated between members. Company clerks, who were in charge of administration and communicating to customers, were frequently hired by the director and not employees of the insurance fund itself.

One of Aegon's key predecessors, Algemeene Friesche, hired its first clerk in 1855 – up until that point, the directors were in charge of all administrative tasks. And another of Aegon's predecessors, Olveh, was founded by Mr. De Bosch Kemper as a part-time work-from-home business. His place of residence in The Hague served as the company headquarters.

Insurance couriers, also, worked mostly part-time. They made weekly visits to families in their patch to collect premiums for the insurance company they were aligned to. The role of courier was critical - they had a great deal of power and could pressure insurance directors to sell new types of products or improve guidelines in the customer's favor. Many started their own businesses.

For more about Aegon's development, visit our history pages.