Erie Insurance Now Offers Coverage In Kentucky

ERIE, Pa., Oct. 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Kentuckians now have a new choice for car, home and life insurance—Erie Insurance, the Fortune 500 company ranked  "Highest in Customer Satisfaction with the Auto Insurance Purchase Experience" by J.D. Power. The entry into Kentucky marks ERIE's first geographic expansion in more than 10 years. The company offers insurance through independent agents in 11 other states and the District of Columbia.

"ERIE's aim has always been to be the best, not the biggest," said Terrence Cavanaugh, president and CEO of Erie Insurance. "We were founded nearly 90 years ago and, unlike some national carriers whose commercials you see on TV all the time, ERIE has grown quietly, mostly through word-of-mouth, by providing customers with great products and personal service—the kind you can only get from an insurance agent who knows you and your individual needs."

To prepare for its Kentucky launch, ERIE established a corporate office in Lexington and worked with independent insurance agents to open 24 new agencies throughout the state. Approximately 16 more agencies will open by the end of the year for a total of 40, and additional new agencies are planned for 2015. The initial agencies are headed by established and experienced ERIE insurance agents who run successful agencies in neighboring states.

In keeping with its motto of "Above All In Service," ERIE established a $10,000 fund to provide scholarships for students in the Risk Management and Insurance program at Eastern Kentucky University. "This is one of the most generous scholarships we've ever received, and we're thrilled Erie Insurance has shown its commitment to Kentucky in this way," said Dr. Burke Christensen, director of EKU's Risk Management and Insurance Program.

In addition, ERIE will support the building of two new Habitat for Humanity homes in Lexington and Louisville in 2015 and is contributing to Central Kentucky Riding for Hope, an organization that helps children and adults with special needs.

"Erie Insurance has a long tradition of customer service and community involvement," said Cavanaugh. "Our support of EKU, Habitat for Humanity and Riding for Hope are just three early examples of the kind of commitment Kentuckians can expect from us. We care deeply about our customers and are active in the communities in which we operate."

In addition to car, home and life insurance, ERIE will also offer personal catastrophe liability insurance similar to umbrella insurance. To find an Erie Insurance agency, go to www.erieinsurance.com/agent-listing or call (800) 458-0811.

According to A.M. Best Company, Erie Insurance Group, based in Erie, Pennsylvania, is the 11th largest homeowners insurer and 12th largest automobile insurer in the United States based on direct premiums written and the 16th largest property/casualty insurer in the United States based on total lines net premium written. The Group, rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best Company, has more than 4.9 million policies in force and operates in 12 states and the District of Columbia. Erie Insurance Group is a FORTUNE 500 and Barron's 500 company. Erie Insurance is proud to have received the J.D. Power award for "Highest in Customer Satisfaction with the Auto Insurance Purchase Experience" two years in a row. ERIE has also been recognized by Forbes as one of America's 50 Most Trustworthy Financial Companies and is on the list of Ward's 50 Group of top performing insurance companies, which analyzes the financial performance of 3,000 property and casualty companies and recognizes the top performers for achieving outstanding results in safety, consistency and financial performance over a five-year period (2009-2013).

News releases and more information about Erie Insurance Group are available at www.erieinsurance.com.

(ERIE-G)

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