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Enfield Farmers Hits a Milestone

By Lindsay Robison

Enfield Farmers Mutual Insurance Company in Enfield, Ill., began when a group of 60 farmers who couldn’t get insurance came together to provide assistance for one another.

That was April 1908. One hundred years later, although it hasn’t been easy and continues to be - with only two employees, nine board members who double as the company’s agents, and 700 policies, the company has its hands full – Enfield Farmers is planning to continue on for years to come.

Becky Venable, secretary/treasurer of Enfield Farmers, credits a few things for the company’s success. “Loyal policyholders are the number one thing that keeps us in business, and their recommending the company to their friends and neighbors,” she says. “What I think has helped as well: we’ve had a stable history, financially wise.”

Expanding policies might have helped the company succeed. When it started, Enfield Farmers only offered fire insurance and paid losses through special assessments. From these, a surplus that was used to offer annual premiums was developed. A little less than 40 years after inception, the company added coverage to include theft and vandalism. And then in the 1990s, Enfield Farmers began to offer wind coverage as well. Policyholders have also expanded. There simply aren’t as many farmers in the eight-county area the company covers anymore, so policyholders have expanded to homeowners and business owners, too.

But one of the biggest reasons, according to Venable, for Enfield Farmers’ success won’t be present to celebrate the 100th anniversary. Judy York served as secretary/treasurer for 33 years and retired a little more than two years ago. An illness will keep Judy from being able to enjoy the anniversary like Venable hoped she would.

But before her illness and retirement, York was the face of the company as well as a huge part in the Illinois insurance industry. She helped run Enfield Farmers for three decades; she owned the insurance agency that handled Enfield Farmers earthquake policies as companion to the farm mutual property policies; and she was active in the Illinois Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, serving on various committees and as chairman from 1999 to 2000.

“Everybody around Illinois knows Judy because she worked in the state IAMIC organization,” says Venable. “She really transcended the little Enfield office and then, as a result, she brought more awareness of our existence down here.”

That awareness and its continuation is what will hopefully keep Enfield Farmers in business for the next century. Venable says the company is hoping to attract new business and the attention of younger homeowners in the communities they serve. “We’re considering updated methods of catching their attention, such as the Internet and that sort of thing,” she says, “things they’re more used to than the older folks.”

Celebrating the century of business could help create awareness. Although they haven’t done much in the way of celebration yet, the employees and board members are considering some ideas. The fall festival in Enfield seems attractive to them, which could in turn bring them more business. No matter what the board members and Venable decide: “We’re sure happy to still here after being here for 100 years,” Venable says.

Posted: Friday, July 18, 2008 12:00:00 AM. Modified: Friday, July 18, 2008 1:53:49 PM.

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