Venture Programs Expands Preferred Club Program Through Alliance with ACE Westchester Specialty Group

Venture Programs (www.ventureprograms.com), a provider in the design and underwriting of select industry-focused insurance packages, announced a program alliance with ACE Westchester Specialty Group, part of the ACE Group of Companies, for the Preferred Club Program.

The Preferred Club Program is an insurance provider to the golf and country club industry, insuring more than 1,000 private, semi-private and upscale daily-fee clubs with custom package and workers’ compensation products.

Effective Jan. 1, 2004, ACE Westchester Specialty Group will provide coverage for the Preferred Club Program’s package product. ACE Westchester Specialty Group is the U.S.-based wholesale focused property and casualty operation of the ACE Group of Companies.

“Joining with ACE Westchester Specialty Group provides us with new opportunities to expand our leading package program with additional underwriting capacity and greater coverage flexibility,” said Philip Harvey, president and managing director of Venture Programs. “Through its strong financial strength and current A.M. Best ‘A’ rating, ACE Westchester Specialty Group also helps us to continue our commitment to offer the highest quality products and services to the club industry.”

The Preferred Club Program offers various coverages often required by golf clubs, including workers’ compensation, property, general liability, property of members, herbicide and pesticide coverage with full pollution options, tee-to-green coverage of all playing surfaces, liquor liability, excess and umbrella liability, and cart fleet and errant ball coverage. It also includes business interruption coverage with an unlimited extended period of indemnity.

The Preferred Club Program will continue to offer its existing club package through the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, which also provides the program’s workers’ compensation coverage. In addition, the Preferred Club Program provides professional liability coverage through United States Liability Insurance, and a first-of-its-kind airborne and foodborne disease coverage through Lloyd’s of London.

“We are pleased with Venture’s underwriting standards and strength in administering successful programs, and look forward to enhancing the resources and capacity of the Preferred Club Program,” said Robert Gaffney, executive vice president, ACE Westchester Specialty Group.

The Preferred Club Program is marketed exclusively through agents and brokers, and offers risk management services, including loss control and claims administration, through Venture and Chubb Services. Preferred Club Program insureds and their insurance brokers can oversee risk management activity through a secure, online web tool available exclusively to policyholders through www.PreferredClub.com.