To better serve its business customers, QBE the Americas, which includes regional insurer General Casualty Insurance Companies, will consolidate its commercial insurance channels in Alabama and Mississippi.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2008, commercial insurance business written through General Casualty’s Southern Guaranty and Southern Pilot companies and QBE Insurance Corporation will be managed and serviced by Anchor Managing General Agency, Inc., located in Montgomery, Ala. QBE the Americas and Anchor, a standard lines agency, have partnered to establish a strong presence and reputation for excellent service to independent agents and insureds in Alabama and Mississippi.
General Casualty will close its Montgomery Branch when the consolidation is complete but will keep some employees in Montgomery to support its data systems. The company will no longer offer personal insurance in Alabama and transfer its other state operations previously handled in the Montgomery office to nearby company offices in Kansas City, Kan., Greensboro, N.C., and Atlanta.
Company personnel are helping the employees affected by the business consolidation explore other potential openings within the company and are providing outplacement services.
Anchor currently employs around 30 people in Montgomery and currently writes $46 million in commercial business in Alabama and Mississippi.
“Anchor and General Casualty have both become successful by providing outstanding customer service. I think our agents and policyholders can expect a seamless transition to Anchor,” said Roger Droste, General Casualty regional vice president. “I’m confident our employees will be strong candidates for job opportunities at General Casualty, Anchor and other area organizations.”
“Anchor Managing General Agency is pleased to be working with QBE the Americas in expanding our footprint in Alabama and Mississippi,” said Billy Kitchens, CEO of Anchor. “Both Anchor and General Casualty have a strong tradition of providing great service in these states, and I look forward to further growing our business based on the high customer service ideals and quality products and services offered through our partnership with QBE the Americas.”
The Montgomery branch office was formerly the headquarters of Southern Guaranty Insurance Company, founded in 1952. In 2003, the company merged operations with sister-company General Casualty (Sun Prairie, Wis.) and was purchased by Australia-based QBE Insurance Group in June 2007. General Casualty is seeking a buyer for its 63,000-square-foot office building.
For more information contact Anne M. Smith or Tom French.