Personal Lines Profiles

The Advantage Group

Seattle, Wash.

Owner(s)/principal(s): John Carmody, Ernie Meier, Gary Niehl, Vern Cohrs

2006 personal lines premium: $39.3 million

Number of personal lines insurers: 17

The Advantage Group’s home office is located in Bellingham, Wash., with a population of about 67,000, but it operates 19 office locations throughout Northwest Washington, ranging from Blaine on the Canadian border, to Seattle, to Hoquiam on the Pacific coast with marketing access to the large population base of the Puget Sound area. The agency provides real-time comparative quotes for personal lines customers.

John Carmody, executive director of The Advantage Group, says the agency has enjoyed consistent personal lines growth over the years. “We like personal lines and work at generating new business along with maintaining good retention,” he said. “Several of our office locations focus on non-standard personal lines allowing us to write a cross-section of business.”

Carmody says that what he likes most about personal lines is that it is a profitable line of business and “we are good at it.” He believes that cross-selling, particularly personal umbrella products, is a major marketing opportunity.

He also said there’s not much he doesn’t like about the personal lines business, except “new production can be a bit of a challenge when core carriers are not adequately priced within the marketplace competitive arena.”

The biggest challenge for homeowners in the Pacific Northwest is earthquake coverage, availability, limits and pricing, he says. For auto, it is increasing price competition in a softening market.

Carmody says that the most important key to his agency’s success in personal lines is “we really like personal lines.” He added that the firm also has a good selection of strong, committed personal lines carriers that offers a broad cross-section of markets. Plus, he notes, “we are local in the communities we serve and well organized to produce personal lines. Local personalization serves us very well.”