Out in the Field & in the Community

Our Representatives Were in Local Communities From Day One – Empowered to be There for Policyholders & Agents in Times of Need

We believe in the independent agency system because we’ve seen the expertise, professionalism, community and compassion independent agents provide. Families and business owners thrive when they have an agent close to home, someone who understands their neighborhoods and needs, and who has proven themselves a trusted advisor – able to offer the right coverage and best service. And those agents need a dedicated, local team to help them provide it.

From our earliest days, The Cincinnati Insurance Company has had associates spread throughout our ever-growing coverage area, assisting our agencies in building their businesses and offering a helping hand to their clients in times of greatest need. It is a commitment that continues today, with nearly 2,000 field associates across the country ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice.

Keeping it local

Our approach has always been to focus our energies locally, doing much of our work through and with our network of more than 2,000 independent agencies. As we grew, first throughout Ohio, and then into neighboring Kentucky and Indiana, there was an increasing need for expert staff on the ground to better serve our insureds and agencies.

We’ve never had regional offices, so we can always place claims representatives, underwriters and other field associates where they are most needed, rather than a central location that could be hundreds of miles away from our agents and their clients. That let us remain nimble and responsive as we began a rapid expansion into five southern states, beginning with Florida in 1958, followed by nearby Michigan and Illinois, and then Arizona in the 1960s and early 1970s.

This growing geography led to a sharp growth in business—and with it the need for an on-the-ground claims presence. To meet the demand, our claims department was reorganized in 1957 and began a push to recruit and train claims representatives. By 1966, we had 31 claims representatives in five states, and nearly 50 spread across the country by the end of the decade.

Wherever we’re needed

This at-the-ready presence ensured we offered the quickest and best service to our policyholders when disaster struck, as it did in April 1974. A “super outbreak” unleashed hundreds of tornadoes in 13 states from Alabama to Michigan, Illinois to Virginia—the very heart of our service area. Hardest hit was Xenia, Ohio, just 55 miles from our headquarters.

Cincinnati wasted no time racing to the scene, with some claims representatives ready to begin processing what would be some 10,000 claims by the evening after the storms. Realizing local staff would not be able to handle the volume of claims on their own, we flew in additional associates from other states to help. Our team worked day and night, on weekends and holidays, to make sure our policyholders got the help they needed fast.

It's a story that has repeated itself countless times in our 75-year history. When wildfires engulfed Gatlinburg, Tenn., when Hurricane Ian cut a swathe of destruction from Florida to North Carolina, whenever and wherever our policyholders need us, we are there. From across the country. Working hand-in-hand with local agents. For as long as it takes. Delivering on our promises.

As The Cincinnati Insurance Companies celebrates 75 years of being A Bridge to Better, we honor our legacy of putting agents first, our noble industry, and our commitment to meeting the ever-evolving needs of policyholders.