Farmers to Add 400 Agents in Wis.

January 31, 2008

Farmers Group Inc. says it plans to recruit and train 400 new agents in the Milwaukee and Madison areas in an expansion that the insurer says could ultimately create 1,000 new jobs in Wisconsin.

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The company will invest about $20 million into the state economy with its expansion, and the 1,000 new jobs will be reached when the newly trained agents open local offices and hire staff members, said Eric Petersen, executive director of the Los Angeles-based insurance company's Wisconsin business.

Farmers already insures about 150,000 families in Wisconsin, but sees potential for many more, he said.

"It's a state we've been in for a while and we haven't grown as much as we'd like to,'' Petersen said. "The type of people in Wisconsin are what we see as our target clients, and that's people who have families, homes and are looking to grow.''

Farmers said it will open two agent recruiting and development centers this week, one Thursday in Brookfield and the other Friday in Madison.

Those centers will give prospective new agents, who would be independent contractors and not Farmers Group employees, an opportunity to check out the business before making a commitment, Petersen said.

Agents will be trained to sell auto, home and life insurance, as well as other financial security products, he said.

Petersen said Farmers Group would also be looking to expand in other parts of the state, such as Green Bay, Appleton, Eau Claire and La Crosse.