Peerless Insurance™ Named Big I New York Commercial Lines Super Regional Partner of the Year

Second straight year of recognition from IIABNY agents

Keene, N.H.  - February 11, 2010  – Peerless Insurance, a Liberty Mutual Agency Markets regional company, has been awarded the 2010 Outstanding Super Regional Commercial Lines Company Partner by the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of New York (IIABNY).

For the second year in a row, Peerless Insurance was recognized for earning the best individual score among agents surveyed twice annually for the IIABNY Industry Index. Agency principals and carrier relations contacts rated companies in several areas: underwriter empowerment; ease of technology use; honesty and fairness towards agents and customers; responsiveness of company personnel; and fairness of compensation arrangements. Safeco? Insurance, Liberty Mutual Agency Markets’ exclusive personal lines provider, was similarly honored with the 2010 Outstanding Super Regional Personal Lines Company Partner Award.

IIABNY Chair Lane S. Rubin presented the Commercial Line Super Regional Partner Award to Mr. Joe Headd, regional vice president, Peerless Insurance. 

“This recognition from Big I’s New York agents over consecutive years is an honor and an affirmation of the importance we place in growing partnerships with them,” said Mr. Headd. “Coming as it did in a year of transition, Peerless Insurance is also proud that our personal lines partner Safeco was recognized for its consistency and strength in agency relationships.”

To further its high-touch service to its New York agents, Peerless Insurance realigned its three underwriting teams in 2009 and added additional underwriting staff to support the new geographically-focused teams. Across its eight-state territory, Peerless Insurance conducted more than 250 agency visits in 2009, attended more than 50 user group conferences to ensure usability among all agency management systems, hosted 32 webcasts attended by over 400 participants, and assisted more than 220 agencies with creating or modifying their website set-ups.

About Peerless Insurance

With underwriting companies dating back to 1901, Peerless Insurance offers property and casualty products, including a comprehensive set of commercial coverages, distributed only through appointed independent agents.  Headquartered in Keene, New Hampshire, Peerless Insurance offers insurance products in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Learn more about Peerless Insurance’s products and services at www.peerless-ins.com. 

Peerless Insurance is part of Liberty Mutual Agency Markets, a business unit of Liberty Mutual Group, consisting of property and casualty and specialty insurance carriers that distribute their products and services primarily through independent agents and brokers.  Liberty Mutual Group ranks 86 on the Fortune 500 list of the largest U.S. corporations based on 2008 revenues.  The company has financial strength ratings of A (Excellent) from the A.M. Best Company, A2 (Good) from Moody’s Investors Service, and A- (Strong) from Standard & Poor’s.

About IIABNY

The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York, Inc. has represented the common business interests of independent insurance professionals since 1882. More than 1,900 agencies and their 18,000 employees currently rely on the DeWitt, New York-based not-for-profit trade association for legislative advocacy, continuing education and other means of industry support. In addition, many IIABNY members represent Trusted Choice®, a national consumer brand uniting more than 7,000 independent agencies across the United States. For more information, go to www.trustedchoice.com or www.iiabny.org.

Contact: