NAII and Alliance Approve Merger

Member companies of both the National Association of Independent Insurers (NAII) and the Alliance of American Insurers on January 7 voted overwhelmingly to merge and form a new trade association known as the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI).  The new organization, which will officially begin operations today, represents more than 1,000 member companies that write 37 percent of the property and casualty insurance sold in the United States .

Jack Ramirez, former NAII president, is the president and chief executive officer of PCI, and Rodger Lawson, former president of the Alliance of American Insurers, will serve as executive vice president.  The new organization will be headquartered in the current home office of NAII in the Chicago suburb of Des Plaines , Illinois .  PCI will also maintain a federal affairs office in Washington , DC and a network of regional offices in Atlanta , Georgia ; Austin , Texas ; Boston , Massachusetts ; Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania ; Sacramento , California ; Tallahassee , Florida ; and Trenton , New Jersey .

"This is an historic day for the members of both NAII and the Alliance ," said Ramirez.  "This is the most significant development in unifying the industry to occur in decades.  The merger creates not just a bigger organization, but also a better one.  Our expanded market share and membership base will make us more effective advocates for our members in Congress and in statehouses across the country." 

"The merger will also allow PCI to take advantage of economies of scale and provide a greater number of products and services to members of all sizes and types.  The overwhelming vote in favor of the merger underscore that members of both NAII and the Alliance understand the benefits that a merged organization can bring to them," said Lawson.

Ramirez stressed that although PCI will have more members, the association leadership is committed to making sure that every member plays an equal and important role.  "PCI will present a responsible and effective voice on public policy questions affecting insurance products and services and will develop policy positions based on consensus in order to take into account the needs of all member companies - large and small, national and local, multi-line and niche," said Ramirez.    

Anthony Dickson, president of New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Companies, will serve as chairman of the Board of Governors of PCI.  Harvey Pierce, chairman and chief executive officer of American Family Insurance Group, is the vice chairman of the new organization.  The PCI Board of Governors is comprised of all 60 former members of both the NAII Board of Governors and the Alliance Board of Directors.  The Board will appoint a committee to review the size and composition of the Board and recommend changes to the corporate governance structure and procedures.

PCI is comprised of more than 1,000 member companies, representing the broadest cross-section of insurers of any national trade association.  PCI members write $154 billion in annual premium, or about 40 percent of the nation's property/casualty insurance.  Member companies write 47.1 percent of the U.S. automobile insurance market, 37 percent of the homeowners market, 31.1percent of the commercial property and liability market, and approximately 38.8 percent of the private workers' compensation market.

Source: Property Casualty Insurers Association of America