HARTFORD STEAM BOILER 33rd COMPANY TO JOIN TRUSTED CHOICE® BRAND MOVEMENT
Company momentum for brand awareness grows
ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 4, 2006—The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company, a leading specialty insurer and reinsurer based in Hartford, Conn., has become the 33rd agency system company to join the growing Trusted Choice® consumer brand movement.
“We are thrilled to welcome Hartford Steam Boiler to the Trusted Choice® movement,” says Ronald A. Smith, CPCU, brand program board chairman and president of Smith, Sawyer & Smith, Inc., a Rochester, Ind.-based Trusted Choice® agency. “Hartford Steam Boiler’s commitment to independent agents always has been strong. By joining Trusted Choice® the company is reinforcing its commitment to its agency partners. We will work side-by-side with Hartford Steam Boiler to make Trusted Choice® a household name and the brand of choice for insurance consumers throughout the country.”
Richard H. Booth, president and chief executive officer with Hartford Steam Boiler, praised the Trusted Choice® campaign. “Hartford Steam Boiler has long worked with insurers and agents to give them and their customers the best options for equipment breakdown and other specialty insurance,” he said, “and to provide education and training about exposures and coverage. Independent agents are key partners, whether it’s through the many property-casualty carriers that package our specialty coverages or our relationships with more than 10,000 agents doing direct business with Hartford Steam Boiler. Trusted Choice® is an important program that benefits agents and brings real value to policyholders.”
“Hartford Steam Boiler understands the importance and power of a recognizable and trusted brand in today’s marketplace. We are moving forward every day to build the Trusted Choice® brand for both independent agencies and companies,” says Robert A. Rusbuldt, CEO of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”).
The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company is one of the world’s leading specialty insurers and reinsurers, specializing in equipment breakdown insurance products, other specialty insurance and reinsurance products, and inspection service and engineering consulting. The company serves businesses, industries and institutions worldwide. Founded in 1866, Hartford Steam Boiler uses its engineering knowledge to recommend risk-management and loss-prevention solutions. Hartford Steam Boiler offers agents continuing education credits in equipment breakdown, easy-to-access Webinars and local training and marketing support. Additional information about the company can be found at www.hsb.com.
Launched in 2001 by the Big “I” and several agency companies, Trusted Choice® is the national consumer brand created to educate consumers about the benefits of using independent insurance agents and brokers for their insurance needs. The brand highlights the benefits consumers get—choice of companies, customized policies and advocacy support—when using an independent agency.
Today, nearly 5,500 independent agencies and brokerage firms throughout the country are participating in the brand program. They are joined by Hartford Steam Boiler and 32 other leading insurance companies.
Ten national insurers are Trusted Choice® company partners: Encompass Insurance, Markel Insurance Company, MetLife Auto & Home, Ohio Casualty Insurance, Drive Insurance from Progressive, Rain and Hail Insurance Service, Safeco Insurance and three Unitrin, Inc. divisions: Kemper Auto and Home, Unitrin Business Insurance and Unitrin Specialty.
A total of 22 regional or single-state domiciled insurers are Trusted Choice® company partners: Allied Insurance, America First Insurance, Capital Insurance Group, Central Insurance Companies, Colorado Casualty, Consumers Insurance, GoAmerica Auto Insurance, Golden Eagle Insurance, Hartford Steam Boiler, Hawkeye-Security Insurance, Harleysville Insurance, Indiana Insurance, Liberty Northwest Insurance Corp., The Main Street America Group, Maine Mutual Group, Missouri Employers Mutual Insurance, Montgomery Insurance, National Security Fire & Casualty, Peerless Insurance, Selective Insurance Group, Summit Insurance (R.I.) and Upland Mutual Insurance. InsurBanc, a federal thrift bank created by the Big "I," is a Trusted Choice® strategic partner.
The Trusted Choice® brand is promoted nationally and at the state and local levels through a combination of national, state and local-agency advertising; company partner ingredient branding; public relations activities; member agency marketing; and Internet communications. All media direct consumers to www.TrustedChoice.com where they find the Trusted Choice® Agency Locator and helpful information on relevant insurance topics.
Participating agencies currently are gearing up for Trusted Choice® Month (May), a concentrated month-long promotional campaign that will increase consumer awareness of the brand and its participating agencies and will build consumer recognition of the logo. The campaign will feature a major nationwide cable TV ad flight with nearly 225 ads, an Internet ad campaign, a public relations campaign as well as state- and local-agency advertising campaigns. Click here to view the nationwide Trusted Choice® Month TV ad flight schedule.
Trusted Choice® is the consumer marketing identity for nearly 5,500 independent insurance agencies and brokerage firms and their branch locations. These businesses offer individual and business consumers a choice of insurance companies, customization of policy coverage and advocacy support. Web address: www.TrustedChoice.com.
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