Zurich NA Small Business Account Execs Now Are ‘State Agents’

The small business unit of Schaumburg, Ill.-based Zurich North America has elevated the position of its 175 account executives to the position of state agent, the company said in a statement.

The transition recognizes the role, responsibility and level of authority that the Zurich small business field staff has in working with local insurance agents. The transition is effective immediately and affects employees in the 45 local field offices located across the U.S. who are dedicated to serving the insurance needs of small businesses.

“State agents in an insurance organization are highly regarded professionals who have the authority and ability to drive results in their territories,” said Ray Thomas, president and CEO of Zurich NA Small Business. “As the primary contact for our distribution force of 12,000 independent agents, our state agents serve as their trusted advisors.”

The small business state agents will work closely with local agents in their territories on profitable sales execution by providing a high level of services, including consultative advice, risk selection, training and development, book of business management and renewal retention strategies.

Zurich NA has 12,750 employees and wrote $13.6 billion in premiums in 2002.