2023 is a special year for Great American Insurance Group’s Environmental Division, as we celebrate our 15th anniversary of offering specialized environmental insurance products to our many clients and insureds. As we celebrate our long-standing service in the environmental insurance industry, I first want to start off by thanking the tremendous team of talented and dedicated employees that provide professional, quality and timely service to all of our various customers. I also want to thank our business associates for your hard work and continued support throughout the years. Your valued feedback and suggestions are what drives us to continue to improve and develop products, programs and services that allow all of us to focus on what truly matters: keeping our businesses strong and protecting our environment for generations to come. 

Ever since we officially opened our doors on April 1, 2008 (yes, April Fools’ Day), I have watched the Division grow and evolve from issuing our first policy to being named a 5-star environmental insurance provider. Take a quick journey with me as I reflect on some of our remarkable accomplishments over the years. 

Over the years, we have witnessed how close environmental issues hit to home and not only how they impact our line of work, but us as individuals. Recently, we have experienced an escalation of unexpected occurrences and in turn have reevaluated the importance of preparation for unprecedented situations that may arise. As a result, there has been increased awareness on environmental regulations and environmental insurance has become more prevalent for a wide range of commercial customers. 

✓ Did you know? Regardless of the size or industry, every type of business can experience a financially threatening and harmful environmental loss. 

The risks are complex, but our mission is simple. At Great American, we believe that every risk is different and should be underwritten on its own merits. We rely on our underwriting knowledge and experience to find acceptable coverage structures for our clients.  

Due to the ever-changing nature of the environmental insurance market, carriers will come and go, prices will fluctuate, and new product offerings as well as enhancements will continue to emerge. The financial strength and stability of our company has enabled us to grow into an industry leader from roots that date back to the founding of our lead insurer, Great American Insurance Company, in 1872. 

Great American Insurance Company has proudly held an AM Best rating of “A” (Excellent) or higher for more than 115 and is currently rated “A+” (Superior). We have also maintained strong financial ratings from Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s for a number of years.

Our team follows the same business model that structures every division at Great American: deep expertise within a specific niche of the insurance industry. We take pride in consistently meeting the needs of your clients and providing unique coverage solutions to satisfy the complexities of each individual account.

It has been an honor to work with a such a talented group of passionate individuals who are dedicated to the collaborative support of our agents, brokers and clients. In addition to industry-leading coverage provided to our policyholders, I truly believe the added services and staff of insurance professionals, who are experts in underwriting, technical industry topics, risk management and claims resolution, is what makes our team so GREAT. 

1. Environmental Division forms in Plymouth Meeting, PA with a staff of six. (2008)
2. Launched our Contracting Services Project-Specific Liability coverage in response to an industry crisis caused by imported drywall containing dangerous carcinogens. (2010)
3. Opened our New York City Office. (2012)
4. Launched our Enhanced Premises Liability coverage. (2013)
5. Published the first issue of the Environmental Insider, which has since become a leading digital publication created for brokers like you, as a source of ideas and innovations to help you grow your business. (2016)
6. Opened a new office in Boston, MA and welcomed a dedicated Communications team based out the Great American Tower in Cincinnati, OH. (2017)
7. Offered specialized coverage for Commercial Lenders and launched Blueprint, a program designed for the specific needs of the contracting sector. (2018)
8. Made new enhancement endorsement to our Premises Environmental Liability Insurance Policy and began offering site-related pollution coverage for Special Risks, classes of business that can be higher exposure due to the nature of their operations. (2018)
9. Launched our new, educational platform, the Broker Toolkit which includes our top marketing resources such as our Product Videos and Riskopolis Claims Scenarios Series. (2020)
10. Products Pollution was added to our suite of environmental products - specifically designed for manufacturers and distributors of various products including but not limited to paints and chemicals, metal goods, automotive parts, machinery and machinery parts, plastic and rubber goods, and other commercial products. (2020)
11. Launched TankAssure Pollution Program, an extremely user-friendly online quoting and binding program for your clients’ storage tank coverage needs. (2021)
12. Discover What We Cover: A Great American Environmental Podcast successfully launched as the first Great American podcast and provides brokers with insights on the intricacies of environmental insurance. (2021)
13. Named a 5-Star Environmental Insurance Provider by Insurance Business America (IBA) thanks to the support of our brokers. The Division was named a Top Environmental Carrier based on many months of research and hundreds of one-on-one interviews and surveys completed with top brokers across the country. (2021)
14. Welcomed a new learning and development coordinator to expand the Division’s training programs. We introduced Environmental Training Corner – offering educational webinars featuring information on our latest product, programs and tools for our brokers to gain knowledge on all Great American Environmental Division has to offer. (2022)
15. Continue expanding our variety of packaged insurance solutions through the program offerings we have created in collaboration with our valued business cohorts.(2023)

Interested in learning more about our growth or the environmental sector? Explore our interactive timeline which captures achievements within the environmental insurance field and Great American’s Environmental Division. 

Moving forward, we will continue to focus on our core principles while climbing the mountain of success to maintain our position as one of the industry’s premier environmental insurance carriers. Continually practicing these principles and ensuring our culture remains at the forefront of any business decisions will help to guide us in best serving your clients’ needs for the next 15 years and beyond.

• Professionalism: To work with all people in an ethical and respectful manner.
• Quality: To ensure that our work product is complete, accurate and meets the needs of our customers.
• Service-Oriented: To constantly exceed the needs of our customers as best as possible.
• Ownership: To take responsibility for our actions and commitment to a strong work ethic.
• Change: To adapt to change which remains a constant within our industry.
• Collaboration: To work as a team because we’re stronger together than we are individually.

Thank you again for trusting us with your business and inspiring us with all the great you do now and throughout the years. We look forward to serving you for generations to come. 

Live Long and Prosper! 

Mark is Divisional President after holding the position of Chief Underwriting Officer since the start of Great American’s Environmental Division. Along with his extensive experience in the insurance field including business planning, product development, underwriting and training, his background also includes experience as an environmental specialist as well as a health & safety officer. He is based out of our Exton, Pennsylvania office.

OUR U.S. OPERATIONS

OUR INTERNATIONAL DIVISIONS

OUR COMPANY