Posted On: June 24, 2008, 4:32 pm CDT

Posted By: MarketWatcher

West Bend posted a 102 Combined in 2007, but that is the dirty little secret that they do not like to tell anyone. Also, construction is killing them in Illinois as they try to figure out what to do with all of that cheap Work Comp that they have written for very large agencies. They don't want to explain the selling of their soul to their smaller agencies. Now storm losses are nailing them in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Not very good news ahead for WB, I'm afraid. (remember back about 10 years ago when they had to Non-renew all policies after November 1st? Or when they came in and told agents that they had new business "limits"? Or when they had to get out of trucking because they were trying to fight Heritage and General Causalty for that business?) I'm not saying it is that bad, but they are not headed in a good direction.