The Surety Life Insurance Company was founded in August 1950 as a result of the reorganization of Surety Life Insurance Company (established in 1942). It was created to oversee insurance, investment, and real estate operations. In 1955, The Surety Life recruited an agency sales force and began, for the first time, active solicitation of direct insurance—chiefly monthly debit ordinary (MDO) insurance targeted to middle-class buyers. Wholly-owned subsidiaries of The Surety Life included The Surety Insurance Company, formed early in 1957 as a fire, property, and casualty company; Independence Insurance Company, a life insurance company chartered in 1930; and Liberty Life Building, Inc., later known as Surety Realty Corporation. Another reorganization of The Surety Life Insurance Company occurred in December 1961. Its successor firm became Surety Investment Company, with various specialized subsidiaries.