In the current challenging economic environment, many agencies are maintaining a strong posture by solidifying existing programs and expanding into other lines of business, especially for dedicated programs. One of the key questions these agencies should ask is: does your insurance company have a long-term view of your relationship? In other words, what can your carrier provide for you today—and how can the carrier position you for the competitive world of tomorrow?

As a leader in the specialty program market, Meadowbrook Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE: MIG), provides not only outstanding support of individual dedicated programs, but also brings a breadth of resources and opportunities to grow program partnerships.

In particular, Meadowbrook helps agencies expand into other business areas by identifying potential opportunities, both in other programs as well as new product lines. For example, in addition to an already established program class of insureds for a typical commercial package of general liability and property coverage, you may be able to offer coverages such as commercial automobile or workers compensation to this same group. Meadowbrook can also help you access excess & surplus lines or reinsurance markets.

Working with Meadowbrook, your clients are much less likely to “outgrow” your ability to meet their total risk management, coverage, pricing, and claims handling requirements. Additionally, Meadowbrook offers interested agencies the opportunity to take an equity (risk-sharing) stake in the underwriting profit and investment income being produced by their program business.

Clients benefit from Meadowbrook’s well established, comprehensive approach to identifying, evaluating, organizing, managing, marketing and servicing programs. This robust program infrastructure includes:

• Actuarial analyses that compare your program with industry trends

• CRM (Contact Relationship Management) resources to identify market penetrations and “hit” ratios, as well as helping you to better cultivate prospects

• The ability to achieve necessary compliance and related filings in all 50 states

• Comprehensive underwriting, and claims and marketing support from Meadowbrook’s corporate office and its network of regional offices nationwide

• Access to Meadowbrook’s reinsurance partners—to include on-site visits and global access to the analytics, pricing, and monitoring that established reinsurers can bring to the table

• An environment that promotes executive access and relationships

As a result of Meadowbrook’s comprehensive infrastructure and approach to the agency relationship, agency partners gain a greater understanding and command of areas such as risk evaluation and prevention, claims, administrative structure, and cost centers and marketing.

Practically, Meadowbrook is able to help agencies identify new areas for growth, often drawn from a careful analysis of the existing practice or complementary groups. Agencies may also be able to export and grow existing programs by utilizing Meadowbrook’s multiple distribution channels.

One of Meadowbrook’s greatest strengths is its decentralized regional office structure. Each of these regional offices across the United States is fully staffed in all functional areas, including underwriting, claims processing and loss control.

“These are Meadowbrook people, in your neighborhood, available daily, who understand your business needs and objectives with the authority and accountability to support your business,” says Archie McIntyre, senior vice president of business development.

Meadowbrook Insurance Group is pursuing a prudent path of strategic growth, from which its agency partners can benefit. Today, Meadowbrook has experience in literally thousands of classes of business throughout the organization. Not resting there, Meadowbrook con­tinues to expand its specialty lines divisions. “Within the last two years, we have added environmental, construction, garage and surety lines,” says Robert S. Cubbin, president and CEO. Meadowbrook is currently developing aviation and umbrella lines, with product liability and miscellaneous professional liability in the wings.

A robust infrastructure with a decentralized, regional footprint. A presence in the community, with direct access to functional specialists. A philosophy and vision of long-term relationships. In these ways, Meadowbrook Insurance Group provides agents with the tools and resources needed to succeed in today’s tough market, while also guiding the way to future growth.

“As one of the first carriers to join Target Markets, Meadowbrook now enjoys business relationships with more than 20 Target Market program administrator members,” comments Mr. McIntyre. “We certainly look forward to further growth with the association’s robust membership.”