Keystone Insurers Group To Add Illinois To Its Expanding Franchise Operation
NORTHUMBERLAND, PA -- May 1, 2013 – Keystone Insurers Group, one of the largest property and casualty insurance franchisors in the nation, today announced it will begin adding partner agencies in Illinois during the fourth quarter of 2013. At that time, the Prairie State will become the ninth state represented in the Keystone group of independent agencies.
Initially Keystone will add about 10 of Illinois’ best independent agencies as franchise partners. All will continue to operate as independently owned agencies, retaining their names but operating under the Keystone umbrella.
“From experience we know when we enter a new state, those first ‘pioneer’ partners are extremely important. The first partners always set the bar high, representing and attracting the best of the best,” said Elizabeth Schenk, Keystone’s vice president of sales and marketing. She said an information meeting will be held in Springfield on October 15.
Keystone Insurers Group was formed 30 years ago in central Pennsylvania by four agencies seeking to combine forces in a constricted market. Initially structured as a cooperative, Keystone, itself, became a pioneer in 1999 when it switched to the franchise model it still employs. Within four years, Keystone grew beyond Pennsylvania’s borders; today, there are 250 Keystone franchise partners throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern regions of the United States.
By becoming part of the larger group, Keystone’s individual partner agencies gain an enhanced array of services, increased support, pooled resources—and clout. “Insurance carriers know the Keystone brand,” Schenk said. “With a larger reputation, doors open to a wider range of insurance products and services for the businesses and communities that each agency serves. Keystone consistently provides greater opportunities for all involved,” she added.
About Keystone Insurers Group (KIG) – Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Northumberland, Pa., KIG is owned by its franchise partners and employees in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, Indiana and Ohio. In addition, KIG conducts business in Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia. Each partner is an independent agency. With property/casualty premiums exceeding $1.78 billion, KIG is ranked fifth on Insurance Journal's 2012 list of Top 100 Privately-Held Property/Casualty Agencies. For franchising opportunities in Illinois, contact Elizabeth Schenk at eschenk@keystoneinsgrp.com. For more information, go to www.keystoneinsgrp.com.
CONTACT:
Lea Ann Hawk
(570) 473-4302
lhawk@keystoneinsgrp.com
