KZ Insurance Brokerage, LLC

Berkshire-Hathaway Homestate Companies include numerous A++ rated carriers. Among these are Cypress Insurance Company, Oak River Insurance Company, Redwood Fire and Casualty, Cornhusker, Continental Divide, Brookwood and More!

KZ has access to ALL these BHHC carriers across the country. Our relationship with BHHC started several years ago during the beginnings of the former AARIS group. Kathy Zeanah, founder of KZ Insurance, was then employed by another General Agency and worked directly with the start-up group of AARIS. KZ Insurance Brokerage was started soon afterwards at the urging of the owner of AARIS. As AARIS grew, so did KZ. In 2006, when Berkshire-Hathaway purchased AARIS, we were right there for the transition. AARIS became BHHC and as BHHC has grown and expanded their appetite both in class and geography, so have we.

Today, we see BHHC as being strongest in the Mid-Heavy Classes of Workers Compensation Business, primarily over $50K in premium, though they will write minimum premiums as low as $1,000. Wholesaler / Distributors, Manufacturers, Artisan Contractors (above $50K in premium), Medium Haul truckers up to 750 mile radius (above $100K in premium) and several agricultural risks (no farm labor contractors), are among their top classes.

The Hartford is among the most recognized names in the insurance business. As an A+ rated carrier (A.M. Best) with this kind or reputation, just the offering of this market brings increased respect to your presentation. With Hartford, KZ has multi-state access to all their lines including General Liability, Property, Auto, Business Packages, Workers Compensation, Inland Marine, Professional Liability, and more for small business and middle market alike.

We have been very successful with The Hartford Packages for Manufacturing and Technology Classes as well as Real Estate and Mortgage Brokers. Over our several year history with The Hartford, we have written numerous other classes as well, especially when we add auto and mono-line property policies to the mix. For these we can write contractor classes and many others.

While The Hartford was our first GL / BOP type market they are also very aggressive in the Worker's Compensation market, with a broad range of classes for both mono-line and packaged risks. We are proud to be an appointed agency for their dynamic company.

OneBeacon is rated A by A.M. Best and they were the first market to give KZ the ability to write GL / Property Packages for Auto Service Centers and Garages, Habitational Units (Apartments and Hotels / Motels) and Restaurants. OneBeacon also writes commercial auto risks on a mono-line and packaged basis. We were fortunate enough to be invited to join them within a few weeks of their entering the California market.

Right from the beginning we recognized OneBeacon was issuing outstanding BOP policies with coverage well exceeding the norm. Their rates for lessor's risks are extremely competitive and they are aggressively pursuing technology risks and office classes. We have written numerous retail and wholesale risks with them as well. While their appetite is limited to small business, it is expanding annually.

All in our brokerage who have worked with OneBeacon have said the same thing. If it fits, it's tough to beat the rates and coverages.

KZ Insurance and Republic Indemnity (A.M. Best A Rated) began writing business together in 2006. At a time when the workers compensation market with softening and new business was often hard to come by, this new relationship resulted in close to two hundred new business policies for KZ and Republic over the course of the next eighteen months.

Republic is well known for their specialty groups and programs including Restaurants, Retail, Attorneys, Machine Shops, Small Business, New Ventures and others. Given a fit to these groups and programs, coupled with preferred territories typically close to larger metropolitan areas, Republic's quotes are often difficult to beat.

Republic Indemnity writes directly in several western states and joins with Great American to write incidental clerical and outside sales when risks require such in states beyond their region.

Travelers is rated A+ by A.M. Best. KZ sees their strengths including a broad, competitive package market, and being highly aggressive with rates in their select appetite of worker's compensation risks. Travelers is also quite competitive with their Business Auto quotes. These features are key in navigating a soft market.

Travelers' business package market is so broad, there are very few things we can not quote with them. They even have a GL/Property appetite for several artisan contractor classes. Included in Travelers package appetite is technology risks, restaurants, habitational, auto service, wholesale distributers, retail stores and much more. Packages can be quoted with unusually high limits for similar programs.

While Travelers' workers compensation class appetite is relatively light, their aggressiveness on rates is tremendous and with the participation of KZ Insurance, we can offer rates at and below those of the lowest of the carriers out there now. If you have workers comp needs fitting the main street type classes of office, retail, restaurant, and other similar risks, you will want to submit to Travelers through KZ.