Toledo-based wholesale trucking insurance agency, Sunforest Transportation Insurance Group, Inc. (STIG), is celebrating its continued growth. The firm has seen annual premium sales grow to 9 million dollars over the past 10 years an STIG President Denny Schwartz, CIC, estimates that annual premium sales for 2008 will top $10,000,000.
The wholesale trucking insurance agency, which started operations in 1997 with two employees and a contract with one insurance market, now employs seven associates and works with more
than 60 retail insurance brokers. STIG operates as a business to business wholesaler, (also referred by some as a Managing General Agent) of trucking insurance programs. The firm
represents Sentry Select, Lancer Insurance Co., A.I.G., Lloyds of London, Lincoln General, Travelers and The Hartford.
According to Denny Schwartz, trucking insurance occupies a niche within the insurance industry. "Trucking Insurance is a low volume, high premium product that lends itself to risk that is
very difficult to predict," he said. "Few insurance companies want to write coverage because of its volatility," he stated. Many truck specific insurance companies employ a specialty
wholesaler like STIG to help complete the marketing and underwriting process of distributing their products. "STIG prides itself on its ability to accommodate and service the retail
agent, whether or not that retail agent is a truck specialist," said Mr. Schwartz. "We are not unlike a business-to-business manufacturer's rep," he added. "We don't mind doing the heavy
lifting," he said.
After more than 30 years in the trucking insurance industry, Denny Schwartz understands the importance of relationships. "Trucking Insurance is all about personal relationships. I have
used my reputation as a knowledgeable professional in the Truck Insurance industry and my long time contacts in this small network to secure markets, develop confidence and instill trust
in my clients, "he said. Some truckers prefer to buy from a local agent that they know and trust, whether that agent has truck specific knowledge or not. Sunforest Transportation
Insurance Group, Inc. makes that possible. "We differ from retail insurance in that we deal with the retail insurance agent and not the end consumer," said Denny.
Sunforest Transportation Insurance Group, Inc. provides a range of services, including online education. Its website, www.stiginc.com, offers truck
specific online training programs for retail brokers interested in learning how to sell trucking insurance. For more information about Sunforest Transportation Insurance Group, Inc. visit
www.stiginc.com or call (419) 475-9455.
About Sunforest Transportation Insurance Group (STIG)
Founded in 1997, Sunforest Transportation Insurance Group serves as a managing general agent for trucking insurance; providing wholesale insurance products and online training programs to
retail insurance brokers. Sunforest Transportation Insurance Group is located at 3912 Sunforest Court in Toledo Ohio and can be found online at www.syiginc.com. STIG's president, Denny Schwartz, CIC, is a veteran of more than 30 years in the trucking insurance industry and has served on the boards of
the Toledo Trucking Association, the West Virginia Motor Truck Association and the Ohio Trucking Association.