The Hartford Launches Property Offering For Municipalities And Public Entity Risk Pools

The Hartford has expanded its commercial property practice to offer insurance programs for the public entity sector, with a particular emphasis on public entity risk pools, as cities and counties seek ways to manage insurance costs in the face of tighter budgets and declining tax revenues.

“As we continue to expand The Hartford’s commercial property capabilities, Sue’s outstanding reputation in the public entity risk arena and strong relationships with the agents and brokers who specialize in this sector make her ideally suited for this role.”

In conjunction with the expanded offering, The Hartford has named Susan Daigle Bencher head of public entity property, reporting to David Carter, senior vice president of Middle Market commercial insurance at The Hartford.

“Risk pools offer significant opportunities for public entities to better manage their overall cost of risk,” said Carter. “As we continue to expand The Hartford’s commercial property capabilities, Sue’s outstanding reputation in the public entity risk arena and strong relationships with the agents and brokers who specialize in this sector make her ideally suited for this role.”

Bencher will manage underwriting, sales and marketing to the public entity sector, with an initial focus on municipalities, schools, housing authorities, and special districts, such as water, sewer, parks and recreation, and transit authorities. Bencher brings more than 25 years of insurance expertise, including nearly two decades of experience structuring insurance programs for public entities. She began her career as a corporate reinsurance property treaty buyer and served most recently as a leader in Travelers’ national property division.

“Sue brings extensive experience in customizing insurance programs to best meet a pool’s specific objectives, whether it is a newer pool looking to grow its membership, or an established pool in a position to retain a significant portion of risk,” said Carter.

To learn more about The Hartford’s property offerings for public entities and municipalities, contact Bencher at (860) 547-4701 or susan.bencher@thehartford.com, or connect with her at the following conferences: the Association of Government Risk Pools (AGRiP) 2013 Spring Conference March 17-20 in Daytona Beach, Fla.; the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) 2013 Annual Conference June 2-5 in Tampa, Fla. (Booth #207); or the Aon Risk Retention Pooling Symposium July 30 – August 2 in Avon, Colo.

Source: The Hartford