U-Haul 2006 Annual Report Download - page 85

PART I
Item 1.
Business
Company Overview
We are North America’ s largest “do-it-yourself” moving and storage operator through our subsidiary U-Haul
International, Inc. (“U-Haul”). U-Haul is synonymous with “do-it-yourself” moving and storage and is a leader in
supplying products and services to help people move and store their household and commercial goods. Our primary
service objective is to provide the best product and service to the most people at the lowest cost.
We rent our distinctive orange U-Haul trucks and trailers as well as offer self-storage rooms through a network of
over 1,450 Company operated retail moving centers and 13,950 independent U-Haul dealers. In addition, we have
an independent storage facility network with approximately 2,700 active affiliates. We also sell U-Haul brand
boxes, tape and other moving and self-storage products and services to “do-it-yourself” moving and storage
customers at all of our distribution outlets and through our eMove web site.
U-Haul is the most convenient supplier of products and services meeting the needs of North America’ s “do-it-
yourself” moving and storage market. Our broad geographic coverage throughout the United States and Canada and
our extensive selection of U-Haul brand moving equipment rentals, self-storage rooms and related moving and
storage products and services provide our customers with convenient “one-stop” shopping.
Through Republic Western Insurance Company (“RepWest”), our property and casualty insurance subsidiary, we
manage the property, liability and related insurance claims processing for U-Haul. Oxford Life Insurance Company
(“Oxford”), our life insurance subsidiary, sells Medicare supplement, life insurance, annuities and other related
products to non U-Haul customers and also administers the self-insured employee health and dental plans for
Arizona employees of the Company.
We were founded in 1945 under the name “U-Haul Trailer Rental Company.” Since 1945, we have rented trailers.
Starting in 1959, we rented trucks on a one-way and in-town basis exclusively through independent U-Haul dealers.
Since 1974, we have developed a network of U-Haul managed retail centers, through which we rent our trucks and
trailers and sell moving and self-storage products and services to complement our independent dealer network.
AMERCO and U-Haul are each incorporated in Nevada. U-Haul’ s Internet address is www.uhaul.com. On
AMERCO’ s investor relations web site, www.amerco.com, we post the following filings as soon as it is reasonably
practical after they are electronically filed with or furnished to the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission (“SEC”): our annual report on Form 10-K, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, our current reports on
Form 8-K, our proxy statement related to our annual meeting of stockholders, and any amendments to those reports
or statements filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All such
filings on our web site are available free of charge.
Products and Rental Equipment
Our customers are primarily “do-it-yourself” household movers. U-Haul moving equipment is specifically
designed, engineered and manufactured for the “do-it-yourself” household mover. These “do-it-yourself” movers
include individuals and families moving their belongings from one home to another, college students moving their
belongings, vacationers and sports enthusiasts needing extra space or having special towing needs, people trying to
save on home furniture and home appliance delivery costs, and “do-it-yourself” home remodeling and gardening
enthusiasts who need to transport materials.
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