Yesterday, in an announcement in the Insurance Journal, Liberty Mutual Insurance spokesperson Chris Goetchus shared his company’s plans to retire eight of its regional brand names, currently sold exclusively via independent agents.
The brands affected, all commercial lines, are America First Insurance, Colorado Casualty, Golden Eagle Insurance, Indiana Insurance, Liberty Northwest, Montgomery Insurance, Ohio Casualty, and Peerless Insurance, each of which represents its own region, and none of which does business in more than nine states.
Why retire these names? According to Goetchus, it’s because Liberty Mutual agents wanted to be able to use the more recognizable name of the parent company. Even so, he stressed, each region will retain its own local offices and underwriting authority, as well as its own management structure. Only the names are changing.
Safeco Insurance, another Liberty Mutual company, is not being affected by this decision, and will continue to offer personal insurance product lines under its existing brand, sold by independent insurance agents around the country.