NU Online News Service, April 24, 10:25 a.m. EDT
Sterling Insurance Co. is the 67th insurance company partner to join Trusted Choice, the national consumer branding program for independent insurance agents and brokers.
Sterling Insurance, headquartered in Cobleskill, N.Y. is a regional property and casualty insurance company that offers a variety of personal and business lines of insurance mostly in the state of New York.
The company's history dates back to 1895 and efforts to establish a mutual fire insurance company. The Schoharie and Otsego Mutual Fire Insurance Co. was established in 1896 and in 1910, the corporate name was changed to Sterling Fire Insurance Co. in recognition of the geographic expansion of operations.
In 1941, the charter was amended to extend the company's territory to the entire state of New York and in 1951 the company merged with the Empire Co-operative Fire Insurance Co. of Middleburgh, N.Y. In 1953, the Wyoming Valley Fire Insurance Co. of Warsaw, N.Y. was merged. The present title was adopted in 1959, to reflect the company's expansion into other lines of business, particularly casualty. In 1989, the company began writing personal automobile policies.
Richard A Poppa, Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York, Inc. president and chief executive officer says, "Our association has a long history of working with the fine team of professionals at the Sterling Insurance Co. and recently presented them with 2012 Outstanding Company Partner Awards in both the personal and business insurance categories."
"We have always believed that the independent agent system is the best possible distribution channel for our numerous products," says Stephen A. Harris, Sterling Insurance president and CEO. "Independent agents possess the expertise and professionalism necessary to explain the many intricacies of insurance in an understandable manner to the insuring public. We are as committed to the independent agency force today as we have ever been. Our decision to become a Trusted Choice company partner is evidence of that unwavering commitment."
Trusted Choice was launched by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America and several independent agency companies to highlight the benefits independent agencies and brokerage firms offer consumers—choice of companies, customization of policies and advocacy support.
Trusted Choice is the consumer marketing identity for more than 24,000 independent insurance agencies and brokerage firms and 67 leading insurance companies.
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