Continental Western Group

Our Mission

Continental Western Group provides valuable underwriting and claims services which are viewed by our customers as fair, rational and responsive. Our consistent approach to local markets supports financial stability and relationships on which our independent agents can rely.

Company Description

Continental Western Group offers a broad array of products with emphasis on the specialized needs of businesses operating in small towns as well as population centers across the Midwest… and have done so for more than 100 years! We offer insurance solutions to businesses ranging from golf courses to those that are agriculture-based. The expansion of our newest division, Berkley Agribusiness Risk Specialists, which operates countrywide, demonstrates this commitment to investing in specialty programs that bring value and opportunity to our customers. In addition to being a solid market for main street businesses, we also offer products for telecommunication service providers, schools, volunteer fire departments and even those individuals who enjoy collecting muscle cars, antique tractors or other types of collectible vehicles.

Continental Western Group is a member company of W. R. Berkley Corporation, recognized as one of the most respected names in the property casualty commercial insurance industry.

How Continental Western Group Is Different

Local Advantage
Continental Western Group believes that specialized knowledge about customers, territories and products only becomes a competitive advantage when this knowledge is applied as close to the customer as possible. Our regional office structure provides us with an in-depth understanding of our territories and knowledge of region-specific business interests. Our newest branch office, opened in Denver in 2011, reinforces this commitment to local service. In addition to our office staff, we employ many sales, loss control, claims and agribusiness field staff who live and operate in the same communities as our customers.

Expertise
We are well respected for our regional, marketbased underwriting expertise and our value-added services, such as loss control, sales and claims. The average tenure of our underwriting staff is more than 15 years. They apply sound underwriting principles and take a disciplined approach to evaluating risks. This allows Continental Western Group to “protect our customers, one business at a time.”

Berkley Solutions
One of the unique advantages we have as part of W. R. Berkley Corporation is the ability to access other W. R. Berkley member companies to collaborate on specialized Berkley Solutions for our agents and their customers. These partnerships allow us to customize coverages to provide complete solutions within W. R. Berkley Corporation.

Distribution

CContinental Western Group’s commercial products are distributed through the independent agency system in 12 Midwest states. Because we have a decentralized approach, our agents enjoy working closely with our local offices to create programs best suited to customers in their territory.

About W. R. Berkley Corporation

W. R. Berkley Corporation, founded in 1967, is one of the nation's premier commercial lines property casualty insurance providers. Each of the operating units in the Berkley group participates in a niche market requiring specialized knowledge about a territory or product. Our competitive advantage lies in our long-term strategy of decentralized operations, allowing each of our units to identify and respond quickly and effectively to changing market conditions and local customer needs. This decentralized structure provides financial accountability and incentives to local management and enables us to attract and retain the highest caliber professionals. We have the expertise and resources to utilize our strengths in the present environment, and the flexibility to anticipate, innovate and respond to whatever opportunities and challenges the future may hold.

Contact Information

For more information regarding Continental Western Group, please contact us at any of the office locations below.

Continental Western Group
Home Office
11201 Douglas Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50322
Tel: (515) 473-3000
Fax: (515) 473-3015
www.cwgins.com
Contact: Ruth Ann Richter
Assistant Vice President – Sales

Central Region
11201 Douglas Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50322
Tel: (515) 473-3000
Contact: William J. Besonen, CPCU
Regional Vice President
Territory: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri

Colorado Region
2000 S. Colorado Blvd.
Annex Building Suite 410
Denver, CO 80222
Tel: (303) 357-2630
Contact: Maureen E. Herzog
Branch Manager
Territory: Colorado

Tri-State Region
10 Roundwind Road
Luverne, MN 56156
Tel: (507) 449-6701
Contact: Ordean H. Voight, CPCU
Regional Vice President
Territory: Minnesota, North Dakota,
South Dakota

Union Region
3641 Village Drive
Lincoln, NE 68516
Tel: (402) 423-7688
Contact: Amy M. Argo, CPCU
Regional Vice President
Territory: Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming

Wisconsin Branch
8401 Greenway Blvd., Suite 248
Middleton, WI 53562
Tel: (608) 826-1185
Contact: William H. Cox, Jr., CPCU
Assistant Vice President
Territory: Wisconsin

Berkley Agribusiness Risk Specialists Division
11201 Douglas Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50322
Tel: (515) 473-3000
www.berkleyag.com
Contact: Terry L. Shaw, CPCU
Vice President - Agribusiness
Territory: National