Continental Western Group JOINS TRUSTED CHOICE®
Brand educates consumers about the benefits provided by independent agents
ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 28, 2006—Continental Western Group, a leading property casualty insurer offering highly specialized, tailored commercial products and services that meet the broad needs of business customersthroughout the Midwest and Pacific Northwest, is the newest regional independent agency company to join the fast-growing Trusted Choice® consumer brand movement.
“Trusted Choice® is quickly becoming a powerful marketing force for independent insurance agents and their companies” says Bradley S. Kuster, president and chief executive officer of Continental Western Group. “That’s why we are excited about partnering with the brand program. We will be working together with our agents and Trusted Choice® to increase consumer recognition of the brand. Having Trusted Choice® become a household brand will be a great benefit to the entire independent agency system—agencies and companies alike.”
“The Continental Western Group’s dedication to the independent agency system is noteworthy and is further enhanced by its new partnership with Trusted Choice®,” says Robert A. Rusbuldt, CEO of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (The Big “I”). “This new partnership will help position Trusted Choice® as the smart choice for commercial consumers in the Midwest, the Pacific Northwest and across the country. We welcome Continental Western Group to Trusted Choice® and look forward to tapping its considerable marketing expertise for the benefit of the brand program.”
Continental Western Group is rated A (Excellent) by A.M. Best, with an A+ claims-paying ability rating by Standard & Poors. The company is a member of the W. R. Berkley Corporation, an insurance holding company that is among the largest commercial lines writers in the United States and a member of Trusted Choice®.
Launched in 2001 by the Big “I” and several agency companies, Trusted Choice® is the national consumer brand for Big “I” members that educates consumers about the benefits of using independent agents and brokers for their insurance needs: choice of companies, customized policies and advocacy support.
Trusted Choice® is promoted through a combination of national, state-level and local-agency advertising, promotional and marketing activities; insurance company co-branding; public relations campaigns; and Internet communications.
Trusted Choice® is the consumer marketing identity for more than 6,100 independent insurance agencies and brokerage firms and their branch locations. They are joined by Continental Western Group and 37 other leading insurance companies. These insurance and financial services firms 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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