Seven Companies in Travelers Group Awarded 2013 Stakeholder Team Accomplishment Recognition™ Award

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Seven companies in the Travelers Group; Standard Fire Insurance Company, Northland Insurance Company, St. Paul Protective Insurance Company, American Equity Specialty Insurance Company, Travelers Casualty Company, Travelers Constitution State Insurance Company and Discover Specialty Insurance Company, have been awarded a 2013 Stakeholder Team Accomplishment Recognition™ (STAR) award from Demotech, Inc. for their operating results in 2012, as verified through their June 30, 2013 statutory quarterly statement.  A total of 2,736 Property and Casualty carriers were reviewed, with only 44, or 1.6 percent, meeting each of Demotech's objective criteria.  Travelers Group owned one of only four carriers in the Surplus Lines Carrier company classification, one of only two companies in both the National and Near National classifications, and all four companies in the Strategic Subsidiary category.

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Demotech developed Stakeholder Team Accomplishment Recognition™ to identify and recognize insurers that were able to satisfy all stakeholders, not just a single segment of interested parties.  To earn a 2013 STAR Award, all seven companies had to demonstrate that:

• employees and producers benefitted from a combined compensation level above the median within the Company's Classification System category
• claimants benefited as measured by an accident year 2012 loss and loss adjustment expense ratio above the median within the Company's Classification System category
• regulators and consumers benefitted from a strong balance sheet and relative financial stability
• reinsurers benefitted due to the relative stability between the Company's net and ceded loss and loss adjustment expense ratios
• overall profitability was in the top third of its Company Classification System category based upon return on net admitted assets
• June 30, 2013 operating results confirmed that the reported year-end 2012 results were realistic and reasonable, particularly as to the verification of our loss and loss adjustment expense reserve criterion.

About Travelers Group

More than 150 years after its founding, Travelers is one of the nation's largest property casualty companies. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Travelers has more than 30,000 employees, 13,000 independent agents and multiple market segments across the personal, business, financial and international insurance groups. Travelers has operations in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Lloyd's of London, and the Republic of Ireland. In Brazil, the company also has a joint venture partnership with Brazil's market leader in surety.

About Demotech, Inc.

Demotech, Inc. is a financial analysis firm specializing in evaluating the financial stability of regional and specialty insurers.  Since 1985, Demotech has served the insurance industry by assigning accurate, reliable and proven Financial Stability Ratings® (FSRs) for Property & Casualty insurers and Title underwriters.  FSRs are a leading indicator of financial stability, providing an objective baseline of the future solvency of an insurer, regardless of financial size.  Visit www.demotech.com for more information.

SOURCE Demotech, Inc.