LAKELAND, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Summit, a specialty workers’ compensation provider and member of Great American Insurance Group, has received all regulatory approvals from the Indiana Department of Insurance for its affiliate companies Bridgefield Casualty Insurance Company and Bridgefield Employers Insurance Company to offer workers’ compensation insurance coverage in the state of Indiana. The companies will begin accepting submissions immediately.
The move into Indiana comes just months after the companies expanded operations into Texas.
The Bridgefield companies, both rated A (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company (effective March 20, 2015), currently insure more than 21,000 businesses throughout the southeastern United States, representing more than $530 million in direct written premium.
“We are looking forward to being a solid workers’ comp market for Indiana agents, and we believe that we are well-positioned to provide Indiana employers with two new compelling workers’ compensation insurance options,” said Summit President and CEO Carol Sipe. “This is an exciting time for our company. Moving our Bridgefield operations into Indiana has been part of our strategic plan for the past year, and we are optimistic about future possibilities.”
Summit plans to increase staffing in the state to include an agency executive, along with claims and loss prevention staff.
“This is a smart move for our company, and we are looking forward to building new relationships with independent insurance agents in Indiana,” commented James Wood, Summit senior vice president. “We also envision opportunities with our existing agencies and insured businesses that have Indiana exposures.”
“These expansions are a testament to the growth and success of our company since its founding in 1977,” said Ms. Sipe. “Our goal is always to ensure that Summit customers feel confident about their choice because we make their workers’ comp experiences better.”
For more information, including sales and agency relations matters, please contact Paul Marks, Summit Southeast Region Sales AVP, at 1-800-421-2944.
Based in Lakeland, Florida, Summit is a leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance coverage in the southeastern United States, and is a member of Great American Insurance Group. Summit manages the day-to-day operations of five workers’ compensation insurance companies that include its two affiliates, Bridgefield Employers Insurance Company and Bridgefield Casualty Insurance Company, and three non-affiliates, BusinessFirst Insurance Company, RetailFirst Insurance Company and Retailers Casualty Insurance Company. Summit provides its comprehensive workers’ compensation insurance services to businesses in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. Summit Consulting LLC has offices in Lakeland, Florida, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Gainesville, Georgia. For more information, visit www.summitholdings.com.
About Great American Insurance Group
Great American Insurance Group’s roots go back to 1872 with the founding of its flagship company, Great American Insurance Company. Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, the operations of Great American Insurance Group are engaged primarily in property and casualty insurance, focusing on specialty commercial products for businesses, and in the sale of traditional fixed and fixed-indexed annuities in the retail, financial institutions and education markets. Great American Insurance Company has received an “A” (Excellent) or higher rating from the A.M. Best Company for over 100 years (most recent rating evaluation of “A+” (Superior) as of March 20, 2015). The members of Great American Insurance Group are subsidiaries of American Financial Group, Inc. (AFG), also based in Cincinnati, Ohio. AFG’s common stock is listed and traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFG.
