Macif was established in 1960 by a group of merchants and industrialists in Niort, supported by the merchants' association. They were soon joined by the employees and managers from industry and commerce, then by the large confederations of employee trade unions, and finally by the non-employee trade unions or socio-professional organisations.

Originally open only to merchants and industrialists, as well as their employees, Macif developed a strong reputation and widened its bylaws so as to be open to other employee and non-employee professions.

Macif is a mutual insurance company without agents. As a member of the Social Economy, it has a unique method of organisation: without any capital requiring remuneration, Macif does not belong either to shareholders or to the government. Macif reinvests the profits that it makes in order to improve constantly the services it provides to its policyholders, its employees and to society at large. It operates under the control of its policyholders, who are jointly responsible for its governance. In addition to being a democratic enterprise, the Macif Group has also made many commitments in terms of social and environmental responsibility.

Macif is the top insurer of families in France and leads the market for automobile, motorcycle and home insurance.