Accident Fund Holdings CEO Elizabeth Haar Named to the 2010 Business Insurance 'Women to Watch' List

LANSING, Mich., Dec. 8, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Elizabeth R. Haar, president and CEO of Accident Fund Holdings, Inc., was recently named to Business Insurance magazine's annual "Women to Watch" list which recognizes individuals doing exceptional work in risk management, benefits management, commercial insurance and related fields.  Haar is just one of 25 women in the insurance industry across the United States chosen by Business Insurance to receive this honor.

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Accident Fund Holdings, Inc., headquartered in Lansing, Mich., is the ninth largest workers compensation insurer and the largest non-governmental specialty writer of workers compensation insurance in the United States.  Accident Fund Holdings conducts business through four operating units:  Accident Fund Companies, located in Lansing, Mich.; CompWest, located in San Francisco, Calif.; Third Coast Underwriters, located in Chicago, Ill.; and United Heartland, located in New Berlin, Wis.  Accident Fund Holdings is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

Haar began her career in the insurance industry as an actuary with positions at Michigan Millers Mutual and Citizens Insurance.  She joined Accident Fund Insurance Company of America as the chief actuary, and went on from that role to hold additional chief executive positions in underwriting, audit, business development and operations with Accident Fund.  In 2005, Haar was named president and CEO of Accident Fund Insurance Company of America.

In addition to her leadership of existing departments, Haar was the innovative force in creating a new department in 2000, to take advantage of digital transactions and the Internet.  To further this expansion, Haar guided Accident Fund in purchasing United Heartland in 2006, adding geographic service areas and a wider range of products to Accident Fund's assets.  In 2007, she led the acquisition of CompWest Insurance Company, making Accident Fund operational in 49 states.  In 2010, Haar led the charge to create a new operating unit under the Accident Fund Holdings umbrella called Third Coast Underwriters which focuses on writing policies for underserved markets such as construction, emerging markets, non-trucking transportation and mergers & acquisitions.  Accident Fund Holdings, Inc. was created in 2009 to properly align the four insurance operating units.

"Be open-minded about your career path," Haar offered as advice to young women entering the insurance field.  "I always think people are much more successful if they learn and add value.  If they are focused on learning and adding value, and not focused on 'what job do I want next and when,' then they are going to be more successful."

As a community leader, Haar enjoys volunteering and serving on the board of directors of the American Red Cross, the Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) and the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI), as well as serving as a trustee for the Griffith Insurance Education Foundation.

Haar holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from the University of Michigan, Dearborn.

For more information about Accident Fund Holdings, Inc. visit www.afhi.com.  To view the article about this year's Women to Watch and a profile piece on Haar, visit the Business Insurance website at www.businessinsurance.com.

Accident Fund Holdings, Inc.

Accident Fund Holdings, Inc., located in Lansing, Michigan, is the ninth largest workers compensation insurer and the largest non-governmental specialty writer of workers compensation insurance in the United States. It conducts business through its four operating units: Accident Fund Companies, located in Lansing, Michigan; United Heartland, located in New Berlin, Wisconsin; CompWest, located in San Francisco, California; and Third Coast Underwriters, located in Chicago, Illinois. Its insurance company subsidiaries are rated "A" (Excellent) by A.M. Best.  Accident Fund Holdings is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

SOURCE Accident Fund Holdings, Inc.