Travelers Institute Chooses St. Louis to Continue Its Consumer Insurance Education Series

February 6, 2014
  • Scientist from Virginia Tech Transportation Institute to share latest research on distracted teen driving
  • Event to address disaster preparedness and common homeowners and auto insurance questions

ST. LOUIS, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Travelers Institute, the public policy division of The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV), today is bringing its Consumer Insurance Education Symposia series to St. Louis as part of a nationwide tour that is helping consumers more easily understand how insurance works.

The event will address teen driving issues, disaster preparedness, and common homeowners insurance questions. It is being held in partnership with a leading St. Louis insurance broker, Mid States Agencies and Alternatives Insurance Agency, as well as Cornerstone Mortgage, Inc.

“We are pleased to be convening consumers, business leaders, and thought leaders in the St. Louis area as part of our ongoing consumer education series,” said Joan Woodward, President of the Travelers Institute and Executive Vice President of Public Policy at Travelers.“Providing individuals with expert insight and simple information about insurance and personal safety can help them make informed decisions on how to best protect their families and assets.”

Charlie Klauer, Research Scientist and Leader of the Teen Risk & Injury Prevention Group at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute in Blacksburg, Va., will provide a keynote address at the event. Klauer, who has been a nationally-recognized leader in transportation research for 13 years, will review effective ways to have the safe driving conversation with teens and share the latest research on distracted teen driving.

Woodward will also moderate a panel discussion featuring local veteran industry professionals:

  • Rick Benz, Agency Development, Alternatives Insurance Agency, and Managing Partner, Mid States Agencies (St. Louis, MO)
  • Kathy Doyle, Loan Officer, Cornerstone Mortgage, Inc. (St. Louis, MO)
  • Greg Bova, Vice President of Claim, Travelers (Overland Park, KS)

Travelers will review the results of its first-ever Parent/Teen Safe Driving Survey, released just three weeks ago, during the event. The survey revealed that strong differences exist in what parents regard as the top driving concerns for their children compared to the perceptions of their teens. This is despite the fact that a vast majority of teens (96 percent) report having conversations with their parents about safe driving.

Panelists will also share disaster preparedness tips and explore some of the key insurance products that all consumers should be familiar with to ensure they are properly protecting their families and assets, such as homeowners, auto, condos, renter, umbrella, and flood policies.

The Consumer Insurance Education series is part of a broader company-wide consumer education program at Travelers, which leverages the organization’s 160-years of risk management expertise. Other components of this program include the Consumer Insurance Guide and resources to help prepare for and prevent property damage and common hazards in the home and at work.

To learn more about the Travelers Institute, visit www.travelersinstitute.org.

About Travelers Institute

The Travelers Institute, the public policy division of The Travelers Companies, Inc., engages in discussion and analysis of public policy topics of importance to the insurance marketplace and the financial services industry more broadly. The Travelers Institute draws upon the industry expertise of Travelers’ senior management and the technical expertise of many of Travelers underwriters, risk managers, and other experts to provide information, analysis, and solutions to public policy makers and regulators. Travelers is a leading provider of property casualty insurance for auto, home, and business. For more information, visit www.Travelers.com.

Media Contact:
Travelers
Gary Griffin, 860-954-1371
ggriffin@travelers.com

Source: The Travelers Institute