The Professional Insurance Agents Association (PIA)'s Company Performance Survey, which is conducted in Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey and New York reveals what agents really think of small/regional insurers .

Nine out of the 10 top-performing carriers in the state of New York are regionals. In Connecticut, six of the top 10 performers are regionals. And while agents recognize the difficulties smaller carriers may have faced in a cat-filled 2011, they aren't about to change their mostly high opinions.

“Why would my confidence waver?” asks James Berliner, principal and owner of Berliner-Gelfand in Bridgeport, Conn. “Smaller companies as a whole are healthy, with strong combined ratios in many cases.”

Agents like the personalized, nimble service a smaller company can provide.

Small and regional carriers “seem to care and put the effort in, making sure they know who their customer is and not forgetting about them,” says Richard Savino, managing partner and CEO of Warwick Resource Group in New York. “They want to hear agent feedback, and they stay attuned to their needs.”

“They are committed to us as partners,” Berliner adds.

Special Reports /

What Do Agents Think of Smaller Carriers?

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