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Why Erie Insurance?

History, financial strength, & Superior Service…

Fortune 500 company

Erie Insurance is currently ranked #416 on the FORTUNE 500 list of companies. This is up from #455 in 2013 and #497 in 2012. Erie is also among Barron’s top 500 companies. Erie is also For more information, visit http://www.providencejournal.com/business/press-releases/20140605-erie-insurance-climbs-39-spots-on-the-fortune-500.ece

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Founded in 1925

Erie has a 90 year history of being above all in Service!  Erie is older than Nationwide, Geico, Allstate, and many other major companies.  Many new insurance companies have formed over the past few years – only a select few have the history & longevity of Erie.  Erie’s founder – H.O Hirt had a founding principal – “To provide policyholders with as near perfect protection, as is humanly possible, and to do so at the lowest possible cost.” 

Local Presence

Erie agents, claims adjusters, and company personnel live & work in our community.  They understand our area and the unique issues associated with it.  When you need help we will be there!  Erie’s property adjusters don’t handle your claim from a call center hundreds of miles away – they are ready to be at home to help you in person!  There is no substitute for “hands on” personal service and Erie Insurance delivers this promise each and every day. 

Wards Top 50

Erie was recognized as a “Wards Top 50” Group of top performing insurance companies, which analyzes the financial performance of 3,000 property & casualty companies and recognizes the top performers for achieving outstanding results in safety, consistency, and financial performance over a five-year period. Erie has achieved this elite status 7 years in a row & 17 times overall.

Financial Strength

Erie Insurance has earned the prestigious “A+” (superior) rating from AM Best each year since 1938. Less than 10% of property/casualty insurance companies have an A+ rating. AM Best is a global credit rating agency with a unique focus on the insurance industry. 

Superior service

Erie is consistently one of the top ranked companies for claims satisfaction & overall customer service.  One reason for this is that Erie uses their own, local, experienced claims adjusters throughout their territory.  Many other insurance companies try to cut costs by using “independent adjusters” to settle their claims.  Erie recognizes that in the event of a loss it is best for the policyholder to be working with a local, experienced adjuster – one who works directly for Erie Insurance and who will not be “here today, gone tomorrow.” 

JD Power Awards

2014 – Erie Insurance ranked highest on J.D. Power’s small Business Commercial Insurance Study two years in a row.

2014 – Erie ranks “Highest in Customer Satisfaction with the Auto Insurance Purchase Experience” (two years in a row).

2012 – Erie Insurance is ranked highest in the Mid-Atlantic on J.D. Power 2012 U.S. Auto Insurance Study.

2012 – 2012 Customer Service Champion – one of only 50 companies in the U.S. to earn the distinction this year, and the second year in a row that Erie was named to the elite list.

2011 – Erie Insurance is named a J.D. Power 2011 Customer Service Champion and is one of only 40 companies so named in the U.S.

2006 – For the second consecutive year , Erie Insurance earned the highest ranking in the J.D. Power 2006 Collision Repair Satisfaction study of consumers who file an auto insurance claim.

2001 – Erie Insurance is ranked highest in overall satisfaction for homeowners insurance, according to the inaugural J.D. Power 2001 Homeowners Insurance Study.

For more information, visit: http://www.jdpower.com

Forbes Top 50

In 2015 Erie Insurance was once again recognized by Forbes as one of America’s 50 Most Trustworthy Financial Companies.

Regional Company

The benefit of a regional company is simple – when natural disasters and other weather related incidents hit other parts of the country – Erie’s exposure is much less than many competitors. By comparison, many of Erie’s competitors get hit with massive losses in parts of the country that Erie does not operate in. Erie’s policyholders do not have to subsidize losses that the company sustains in other (higher risk) states. This is just one of the many ways that Erie can keep their rates low!

25% Promise to Policyholders

Erie contractually guarantees to its policyholders that it will limit its operating expenses to 25% of the premium it collects. The other 75% is set aside to pay claims as they occur. Unlike other companies that spend massive amounts of policyholder money on advertising – Erie historically has not spent policyholder money to advertise. Instead, Erie let’s their superior service do their advertising.

Erie’s Customers Stay with ERIE

Erie Insurance has one of the highest customer retention rates in the insurance industry. From year to year 90% of Erie’s policyholders decide to stay with Erie. The industry average for customer retention is about 80%. Once policyholders experience Erie’s exceptional service they remain with Erie year after year.

“Steady as she goes” Pricing Philosophy

For 90 years Erie’s pricing philosophy has been modeled after the sailboat on the calm open water – “steady as she goes.” While all insurance companies raise premiums from time to time, Erie takes extreme caution when doing so. Erie does not shock its policyholders with massive premium hikes. While other companies take unprecedented premium increases, Erie always holds true to its “steady as she goes” pricing philosophy.

Always There

Recently there has been a lot of change in the insurance industry. Some companies have stopped offering certain policies (namely Homeowners Insurance). Other companies have declined to renew policyholders that do not have more than one line of insurance with them. Other companies have renewed customer’s policies with much higher deductibles. In those cases the customers have the option to “buy back” their original deductible. Erie has never taken these actions. Erie does not “come and go” from certain markets. Since 1925 Erie has always been there for its clients. Over the past 90 years Erie has weathered many storms and has emerged the shining envy of the industry.

From humble beginnings in 1925 Erie has grown to become the 11 th largest homeowners insurer and 12 th largest automobile insurer in the United States.

Erie now has 4.9 Million policies in force across 12 states & the District of Columbia. 

More than 4,600 dedicated employees work at Erie’s home office and across Erie’s territory. The Erie Home Office in Erie, PA employees more than 2,600 people.

(Watch a virtual tour of the Home Office or read the transcript here: https://www.erieinsurance.com/about-us/company-profile#sthash.iGSV2jt9.dpuf

Read more about Erie Insurance at www.erieinsurance.com.