Erie Indemnity's

The direct and assumed premiums written by the Exchange drive our management fee which is our primary source of revenue. The property and casualty insurance industry is highly competitive. Property and casualty insurers generally compete on the basis of customer service, price, consumer recognition, coverages offered, claims handling, financial stability and geographic coverage. Vigorous competition, particularly in the personal lines automobile and homeowners lines of business, is provided by large, well-capitalized national companies, some of which have broad distribution networks of employed or captive agents, by smaller regional insurers, and by large companies who market and sell personal lines products directly to consumers. In addition, because the insurance products of the Exchange are marketed exclusively through independent insurance agents, the Exchange faces competition within its appointed agencies based upon ease of doing business, product, price, and service relationships.

Market competition bears directly on the price charged for insurance products and services subject to regulatory limitations. Industry capital levels can also significantly affect prices charged for coverage. Growth is driven by a company’s ability to provide insurance services and competitive prices while maintaining target profit margins. Growth is a product of a company’s ability to retain existing customers and to attract new customers, as well as movement in the average premium per policy.

The Exchange’s strategic focus includes employing an underwriting philosophy and product mix targeted to produce an underwriting profit on a long-term basis through careful risk selection and rational pricing, and consistently providing superior service to policyholders and agents. The Exchange’s business model is designed to provide the advantages of localized marketing and claims servicing with the economies of scale and low cost of operations from centralized support services. The Exchange also carefully selects the independent agencies that represent it and seeks to be the lead insurer with its agents in order to enhance the agency relationship and the likelihood of receiving the most desirable underwriting opportunities from its agents.