After an analysis of 2,700 property/casualty insurers, the results are in: Erie Insurance has been named one of Ward's 50 Top Performers for the year. Members of Ward’s 50 set themselves apart from other companies by excelling at financial safety, consistency and performance over a five-year period. As an independent agency representing The ERIE, we’re pleased to share in this honor.

What it means
The recognition signifies the company’s financial strength as well as ERIE’s and our agency’s mutual commitment to customer service. After passing all of Ward’s safety and consistency screens, ERIE ranked in the top 50 based on a detailed list of financial criteria and metrics. 

According to Ward, members of the Top 50 list successfully manage day-to-day business while staying squarely focused on their customers.

“Top performers understand that efficient operations result in pricing advantages passed on to the consumer and keep the customer at the center of every key business decision,” explained Jeff Rieder, President of Ward Group.

For ERIE and its agents, the award affirms an ongoing dedication to an Above All in Service philosophy, noted Terry Cavanaugh, ERIE’s president and chief executive officer.

“It affirms our commitment to a strong balance sheet and an operating model that allows us to meet our Customers' needs," added Terry.

About Ward Group
Ward is a consulting firm that specializes in the insurance industry and is a leading provider of industry benchmarking. Since 1991, The Ward Group has analyzed the financial performance of insurance companies with the intent of identifying top performing insurance companies.

This is the 19th year that Ward Group has conducted the analysis, and ERIE has appeared on the national list 12 times.

Another reason to celebrate
This recognition follows two other noteworthy achievements. ERIE recently earned the J.D. Power and Associates Award for “Highest in Customer Satisfaction with the Auto Insurance Shopping Experience” for the second consecutive year. ERIE also recently moved up three spots from 21 to 18 on A.M. Best’s top 200 U.S. property/casualty groups ranked by 2008 net premiums written.

For more information about these awards, refer to ERIE's press releases or the Ward Group’s Web site.