Whats ahead for Liberty Mutual, Ohio Casualty independent agents?
For agents, the Liberty Mutual Agency Markets acquisition of Ohio Casualty promises to be a matter of addition, not subtraction. For the most part, Ohio Casualty’s 3,400 agents will join with and not replace or be replaced by Liberty Mutual’s existing 6,500 independent agents, according to Gary Gregg, president of Liberty Mutual Agency Markets. “The idea is not to subtract but add,” said Gregg. This is possible because Ohio Casualty’s strength in the Midwest and Atlantic regions largely complements rather than overlaps with the territories where Liberty Mutual Agency Markets regional carriers write. There is “very little overlap” among agencies for the two companies — less than 15 percent by location, Gregg maintains. “Companies and agencies are always reevaluating their relationships but this is not about cutting, it’s about growing,” he insisted. The marriage presents opportunities to “bring more products to more agents,” Gregg says. For example, Ohio Casualty is known for its artis
