American Express Co. summary

Learn about the history of American Express Co.

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American Express Company: headquarters
Brookfield Place, including 200 Vesey Street (centre), headquarters of the American Express Company, in New York.

American Express Co., U.S. credit card and travel services company. Founded in 1850 as an express-transportation company, American Express originally provided rapid transport of goods across New York and the Midwest. The company introduced traveler’s checks in 1891 and opened its first European office in Paris in 1895. Its contemporary businesses include credit cards and payment-processing systems, international banking, and services for travelers (including trip planning, tour packages, and business travel management).

insurance Summary

Insurance, a system under which the insurer, for a consideration usually agreed upon in advance, promises to reimburse the insured or to render services to the insured in the event that certain accidental occurrences result in losses during a given period. It thus is a method of coping with risk.

New York City Summary

New York City, city and port located at the mouth of the Hudson River, southeastern New York state, northeastern U.S. It is the largest and most influential American metropolis, encompassing Manhattan and Staten islands, the western sections of Long Island, and a small portion of the New York state