Each year The Boston Business Journal compiles a list of the 75 best places to work in Boston. Making the list again this year is Quincy’s Arbella Insurance Group which was included on the list of the Best “Large Businesses” in Boston.
“We’re honored to be recognized for the fourth year in a row as one of the Best Places to Work in Massachusetts,” says John Donohue, chairman, president and CEO of the Arbella Insurance Group. “At Arbella, we strive to create a corporate culture where employees feel good about coming to work every day. Their dedication and commitment to our company values help build trust and loyalty with our agents and customers. We couldn’t be more proud of our team.”
Founded in 1988 by a special act of the legislature, Arbella was originally formed as a way in which to allow the Kemper Group to divest itself of its Massachusetts automobile insurance book of business. From that unique beginning, Arbella is now the fourth largest writer of automobile insurance in the Commonwealth boasting an 8.94% market share and written premium of $331,603,792*. In addition, the company has expanded into writing automobile, home and business insurance in both Massachusetts and Connecticut as well as business insurance in New Hampshire and Rhode Island.
In 2011, Arbella announced that it had achieved its largest direct written premium increase in over seven years while achieving its lowest expense ration since 2004. The company also says that even with the past year’s heavy weather-related losses, the company was still able to achieve a 6 percent increase in its direct written premium for its Personal Lines as well as an increase in retention rates for both Massachusetts and Connecticut.
As for its Commercial Lines, Arbella says that it achieved a 13 percent increase in direct written premium and is now one of the largest commercial multi-peril carriers in Massachusetts.
Increasing its dedication to independent insurance agents
Over the last year, Arbella also has increased its commitment to its independent insurance agents. The company says that in 2011 it used agent feedback to improve its technology upgrade in order to offer enhanced online application, e-billing and payment processing capabilities. As a result, the company says that it agents say it is now easier to do business with Arbella today than just a year ago.
In addition, in November 2011 the company launched its first Facebook page and in December of last year, a new revamped website at www.arbella.com was unveiled with new capabilities for customers to look up an independent agent on its landing page.
View the entire list of the BBJ’s Best Places to Work, 2012 here.
*Figures based on 2010 Annual Report from The Massachusetts Division of Insurance.
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The Top Ten Auto Insurance Companies in Massachusetts
The Top Ten Homeowner’s Multi-Peril Insurance Companies in Massachusetts
Complaint Ratios For The Top 20 Private Passenger Automobile Insurance Companies in Massachusetts
Complaint Ratios For The Top 25 Homeowner’s Insurance Companies & The Mass FAIR Plan
The Top Five Consumer Complaints in Massachusetts for 2011
