Prudential was founded in 1848, as the Prudential Mutual Assurance, Investment and Loan Association in London. The company grew from a small life assurance company, with a customer base limited to the well-off middle classes, to Britain's largest life company by number of policy-holders. In 1854 Prudential opened its industrial department and began to sell "penny policies" that could be afforded by poorer people.

保诚诞生于1848年。当时叫保诚共同保险、投资和贷款协会，地处伦敦。保诚从一家小小的人寿保险公司，顾客基本都是富有的中产阶层，发展成为英国按保单计算的最大的人寿保险公司。1854年，保诚开设了工业部，开始销售所谓的“便士保单”，穷人也买得起。