Sentry Insurance

Sentry Insurance is a mutual insurance company located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.

History

Origins

The Hardware Mutual Insurance Companies Building in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.

Sentry Insurance was founded in 1904 by members of the Wisconsin Retail Hardware Association, now the Midwest Hardware Association, to provide insurance for its members in the hardware industry. Its headquarters are in the Hardware Mutual Insurance Companies Building, built in 1922 and now listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.

The company also owns its own golf course, SentryWorld, which opened in 1982.^[2] Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., it is regarded as a "destination golf course".^[2]

Recent history

In 2013 Sentry a mobile version of its risk management portal.^[3]

In 2014 Sentry began supplying its transportation clients with DriveCam in-car cameras.^[4]

• In early September, 2012, Sentry Insurance fired 144 home-based agents. The company told their home-based agents to call in for a year to date business update. When the agents called in they were told that their positions were terminated effective immediately. The executives then indicated that HR would reach out to them in order to go over everything and that someone would call to pick up their company vehicles. The call was then disconnected. The reason offered was that the company was not profitable. Just over two months later (11/14/2012) the company announced that SentryWorld, the golf course affiliated with the company, would be renovated.^[5][6]

• In 2007 Sentry Insurance sued an 81 year old woman from Brookfield, WI. A member of a meal-delivery team fell on ice in the 81 year old's driveway. The lawsuit was filed three years after the incident. The director of senior services for Waukesha County indicated that they are very concerned that the lawsuit could cause the elderly to cancel needed services out of fear. Many have questioned how an insurance company could decide to provide Workers Compensation insurance to a "Meals on Wheels" company, knowing ahead of time that the company exists to help elderly that are too frail to shop during the winter and then sue the elderly for not getting out of their home to shovel their driveway. Attorney, Frank Pasternak indicates that this is another reminder of what insurance companies want. Insurers want to use the system for their benefit, but don't want you to get justice.;;^[7][8][9]

• In May, 2011 Sentry sued Gene's Furnace Shop after a policy holder sustained a house fire. Sentry paid out $350,000 to their client but sued Gene's Furnace Shop to recover their money.^[10]

• In March 2012 Sentry Insurance named Pete McPartland CEO. He previously had served as president and chief operating officer.^[11]

Logo

The Sentry logo is based on this statue of Captain John Parker in Lexington, Massachusetts^[12]

Sentry's logo is the "Minuteman Statue," a sculpture of Capt. John Parker, located in Lexington, Massachusetts.

Operations

As of December 31, 2013, Sentry had assets of $13.2 billion^[1] and a policyholder surplus of $4.1 billion.^[1] The Sentry Group of Companies serves more than 1.1 million policyholders. Sentry Insurance was ranked 777th on the 2014 Fortune 1000 list of companies.^[13] The company offers life, group health, auto, and other property/casualty lines. Sentry's property and casualty companies are rated A+ by A. M. Best.^[14]

Companies

The Sentry Group of Companies includes:^[1]

• Sentry Insurance a Mutual Company
• Sentry Lloyds of Texas
• Middlesex Insurance Company
• Patriot General Insurance Company
• Dairyland Insurance Company
• Sentry Casualty Company
• Sentry Select Insurance Company
• Viking Insurance Company of Wisconsin
• Peak Property and Casualty Insurance Corporation
• Parker Centennial Assurance Company
• Sentry Life Insurance Company
• Sentry Life Insurance Company of New York
• Dairyland County Mutual Insurance Company of Texas

See also

• List of United States insurance companies

References