Westfield Insurance

Before there were cars, electricity and television, Westfield was providing insurance protection and serving customers, achieving a level of trust and respect that remains the hallmark of how they conduct business today.

In 1848, a small group of hard-working farmers joined together to form an insurance company to protect their property. Initially known as The Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Medina County, the name was changed three years later in 1851 to Ohio Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Company. The Company evolved to be what is the quiet but trusted Midwestern staple of insurance over the past 170 years – Ohio Farmers Insurance Company. [5]

In 1878, an agent in Indiana ran an advertisement for Ohio Farmers in a small-town newspaper using a local printer’s image of a farmer sitting on a fence that the local printer had in his shop. In 1879, the Indiana newspaper advertisement caught the eye of a company official and soon earned other admirers within the Company. After research was unable to determine the origin of the “Old Man,” the illustration was adopted for the 1879 Annual Report for Ohio Farmers Insurance Company.

The source of this printed symbol is traced to a printer in Baltimore – who then supplied Ohio Farmers with an original cut of the image. From that day forward, “The Old Man on the Fence” became the symbol that epitomizes the independent, honest, and hard-working philosophy of the Company.

Headquartered in Westfield Center, Westfield is the largest employer in Medina county with approximately 1,600 employees and another 1,000 working in regional offices across the country.[6]   The Headquarters includes the Westfield Country Club, Westfield Inn, and the Blair Conference Center, all unique assets making Westfield a desired destination for business and pleasure.  The campus welcomes thousands of guests every year, affording the company the opportunity to foster strong relationships by connecting with people both personally and professionally.

Westfield is a regional property and casualty (P&C) insurance company with $1.9 billion in revenue and more than $6.3 billion in total assets.[7] As one of the nation’s leading P&C companies and one of the largest non-public companies in Ohio, Westfield remains true to its vision and dedication to making a positive difference in the lives of its customers.

In 2018, Westfield removed the word “Insurance” from their name and launched a new brand to create new opportunities to partner with customers and deliver value beyond the insurance policy. Westfield’s new brand drives business strategy by leveraging data and analytics, digital and innovation to simplify and enhance customer interactions. The brand weaves together the business, people and culture with the needs, expectations and emotions of customers. The company’s focus includes delivering a distinct combination of insurance expertise, relationships, technology and tools that empower customers, small business owners and agents with resources to thrive and succeed.

Bold. Impactful. Warm. The Westfield logo is reflective of the new chapter that Westfield has embarked upon. The sun icon acts as a testament to the light shining on customers as knowledge and recognition. Like Westfield, that light guides the customers – sometimes a familiar path, sometimes the road less traveled. No matter the roadmap, the sun provides the warmth and caring that is inherently synonymous with Westfield.

1848 Ventures meets business owners where they are; collaborating to develop digital solutions that target the broad range of uncertainties they face every day.

Westfield established 1848 Ventures in 2018 to lead the company’s efforts to expand beyond conventional insurance by understanding and addressing the broader risks that customers face.  The team develops and monetizes a portfolio of customer-centered innovations, which may or may not involve insurance, but are consistent with Westfield’s brand.[8]

Westfield’s geographic setting, landscape and guest-facing amenities are beautiful and impressive and contribute to the distinctiveness of the company. In 2018, Westfield’s space grew with construction of an additional building that preserves the historical integrity of the company. The interior workspace throughout the company was modernized and updated to better support the ways employees work and to provide a more effective and flexible use of the building.

For over 80 years, Westfield has rated "A" (Excellent) or higher for financial strength by A.M. Best,[9] a rating organization that focuses on the insurance industry. This is an independent view of an insurer’s financial strength and ability to meet its ongoing insurance policies and contract obligations.

• 2019 J.D. Power award - #1 in Customer Satisfaction Among Auto Insurers in the North Central Region
• 2019 inductee into the 100 Year Club of the Western Reserve Historical Society
• 4-Time Big "I" Best Practices Award Winners (2019, 2018, 2015, 2013)
• 2018 Healthy Business Council of Ohio Silver Award for Healthy Practices
• 2018 Crains Archer Award for HR Team of the Year
• 2017 Healthy Ohio Business council Silver Award
• 2016 Best Practices Award of Excellence From Trusted Choice and the IIABA
• 2016 Healthy Worksite Gold Award from the Ohio Department of Health and Healthy Ohio Business Council[10]

Westfield’s Business Insurance offers a wide selection of products and services that are designed for small, mid-size and large businesses. Insurance options include:

• Property
• Liability
• Business Auto
• Workers' Compensation
• Umbrella
• Surety Bonds
• Risk Control[11]

Westfield’s personal insurance helps people protect what they’ve worked so hard to build. Your home, your car and the stuff of your dreams. Insurance products include:

• Home
• Auto
• Boat
• Condo[12]

Farming is a life abundant and Westfield has an incredible heart for it. Since 1848, Westfield has never strayed from their farm traditions to protect a farmer’s land and work. Westfield offers insurance options for small farms and commercial agribusiness.

The Westfield Agents Association (WAA), founded in 1891 as the Ohio Farmers Agents Association, celebrated its 125th year in 2016. Licensed Westfield agents are eligible for membership with a $75 annual fee, up from 50 cents in 1892 when dues were established. WAA members are represented by 14 directors from across our operating territory. WAA is committed to attracting new agents and developing them to become leading producers and future agency principals. For more than 15 years, The Association Perpetuation Plan (TAPP), developed by WAA and Westfield Insurance, has trained and graduated more than 260 agents. During the years since the formulation of this unparalleled relationship between agents and Westfield, together they have met and overcome many challenges, and both have become stronger because of this partnership.

In 2019, the WAA joined forces with Arete Advisors, a global cybersecurity firm to develop InsuraShield. This first-of-its kind cybersecurity resource is designed specifically for independent agents. It includes a powerful and unique combination of software, services and information that can help agencies protect against cyber-attacks, improve cybersecurity knowledge and comply with insurance industry-related security regulations.[13]

Westfield has a long history of giving. Helping friends and neighbors during times of need is at the core of Westfield’s mission and is an extension of the fundamental role that insurance plays in ensuring stability for families, businesses and communities in times of uncertainty. In 2005, Westfield endowed a private foundation that reflects the company’s desire to support communities and impact areas of family stability, disaster recovery and safety. Through the corporate foundation, Westfield gives $3 million annually. [14]