Vermont Mutual Recognized by Ward Group as a Top 50 Insurer for a Ninth Consecutive Year

For the ninth consecutive year, Vermont Mutual Insurance Group® has been recognized as one of the top 50 Property and Casualty insurers in the United States by Ward Group, an Aon Hewitt company and one of the industry’s most respected benchmarking organizations.

Every year, Ward Group identifies the industry’s top insurance companies through a comprehensive financial analysis of approximately 3,000 U.S. property and casualty insurers. The “Ward’s 50®” recognizes insurers for their consistency, safety and superior financial performance.

Daniel C. Bridge, President & CEO of Vermont Mutual, stated “It’s deeply gratifying to once again be recognized as a top performing insurance company by Ward Group. This noteworthy recognition is confirmation of our commitment to managing a financially secure insurance operation for our policyholders, our independent agency partners and our employees.” Bridge continued “We are honored to share this with our employees and business partners, whose combined efforts have allowed us to earn this recognition now for 9 consecutive years.”

Every company recognized by Ward Group has passed all safety and consistency screens and achieved superior performance over a five year period. This is the 27th year Ward Group has conducted the analysis. As a recipient of the Ward’s 50 designation for nine years in a row, Vermont Mutual has once again affirmed its position as a leading provider of automobile, homeowner and business insurance in the Northeast, and ranks their performance in the top tier of all companies nationwide since 2009.

Vermont Mutual Once Again Recognized as a ‘Best Place to Work’

Every year Vermont Business Magazine surveys Vermont companies to find the best places to work in the state. Taken into consideration are company policies, demographics, and systems. In addition, employees are asked to answer 78 questions on employee satisfaction. This anonymous questionnaire accounts for 75% of the overall scoring of a company. Notably, Vermont Mutual had an impressive 82% survey participation.

Citing the acknowledgment, Dan Bridge, Vermont Mutual’s president and CEO, stated “We couldn’t be more pleased to again be recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in Vermont. It’s confirmation of our commitment to not only delivering superior service and exceptional operating results, but also to working together to create an environment where people support each other, have opportunities for professional growth, have their efforts recognized through a comprehensive compensation and benefits package and have some fun while they’re at it.”

Susan Chicoine, Vice President of Human Resources, remarked “The two words that have remained hallmarks of the Vermont Mutual environment are supported and empowered. This recognition by our employees confirms that, for nearly two hundred years, Vermont Mutual continues to be a great place to work.”

The Best Places to Work in Vermont 2017 Ceremony, which will unveil the rankings of all of the companies that participated, will take place in the spring of 2017.

To learn more about Vermont Mutual, both as an insurer and as a place to work, please visit: vermontmutual.com.

The 190th Annual Meeting of Vermont Mutual Insurance Group

Recently Vermont Mutual Insurance Group® held its 190th Annual Meeting. Over the course of 2016, Vermont Mutual Insurance Group increased its direct written premium by more than 8% to an unprecedented $434,265,941. Additionally, policyholders’ surplus increased 10% during the year to an all-time high of $420,456,488.

“This past year stands out as one of the most successful years in the 190-year history of our company,” stated Dan Bridge, Vermont Mutual’s President & CEO. Bridge continued “Our strong financial results strengthened our business for our policyholders, Independent Agency Partners and employees. We were again named one of the Top 50 property casualty insurers in the U.S. and one of the Best Places to Work in Vermont. Operational improvements and modernization efforts were significant and we remain well-positioned to meet the needs of both our Agent Partners and their customers for years to come.”

Mark McDonnell, Executive Vice President and COO, added “We continue to foster a relationship-based approach in claims, underwriting and marketing, and thankfully our Agent Partners favored us with a record level of new business of over $64 million. Our growth and strong retention is an indication that agents and policyholders are pleased with the value they receive from insuring with Vermont Mutual.”

The annual meeting also marked the retirement of J. Timothy Ide, retired president of E.T. & H.K. Ide, Inc. of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, and a member of the Vermont Mutual Directors Advisory Council. Mr. Ide was presented with a Simon Pearce commemorative glass bowl acknowledging Mr. Ide’s more than thirty seven years of providing wise counsel to the company as both a member of the Board of Directors, and later the Directors Advisory Committee.

Service to Vermont Mutual runs in the Ide family, both Mr. Ide’s father and grandfather also served on Vermont Mutual’s Board of Directors for many decades. “I cannot thank Tim enough for the valuable service he provided our company over so many years,” stated Bridge. “A commitment of that type is truly unique and we’re very appreciative of all that Tim has done for us.”

The following officers were elected at this year’s annual meeting:

• Daniel C. Bridge, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
• Mark J. McDonnell, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
• Richard N. Bland, Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
• Susan L. Chicoine, Vice President Human Resources
• Joanne M. Currier, Vice President Information Technology
• David N. DeLuca, Vice President Claims
• Brian C. Eagan, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
• Shaun P.T. Farley, Vice President Marketing
• Terry J. Moore, Vice President Underwriting

Vermont Mutual Receives United Way Award

Vermont Mutual Insurance Group® was recently honored with the United Way’s 2016 Workplace Campaign Award. At the 41st Campaign Kickoff Breakfast, Green Mountain United Way gathered nearly 100 business leaders and non-profit representatives from the state of Vermont to review initiatives, share success stories and present awards.

During the awards ceremony, Green Mountain United Way honored Vermont Mutual Insurance Group with their 2016 Workplace Campaign Award. The award was given in appreciation of Vermont Mutual’s efforts to raise awareness among its employees about the Green Mountain United Way and the work it does. As a result, Vermont Mutual saw a 100% increase in the number of donations from their employees.

Upon receiving the award, Susan Chicoine, Vermont Mutual’s Vice President of Human Resources, stated “we are thrilled to receive this recognition from the United Way,” Chicoine continued, “it is testament to both Vermont Mutual employees and the valuable work the United Way does for our local communities.”

Green Mountain United Way serves Caledonia, Essex, Orleans, Orange, and Washington Counties and works to improve these communities with a focus on the common good, seeking to assist and protect the health, education and financial stability of everyone within these communities.