The State Auto team began a journey in 2015, when the company was at a crossroads: Continue on the path of a five- to seven-year project to stand up a new policy and billing platform, or do something truly disruptive—something transformative.
Executive Summary
State Auto was able to become an exclusively digital carrier marketing personal lines products through independent agents with 14 months, and small commercial isn't far behind. Here, CEO Mike LaRocco describes the underlying culture that made it possible to accomplish so much so fast—a culture built on a foundation of trust and respect, shaping behaviors like openness and the celebration of success and failure.We decided to embark on a transformation that would reshape the company to become an exclusively digital carrier marketing through independent agents—and made it a reality in little more than a year.
We launched State Auto Connect for personal lines 14 months later, in October 2016. In 2017, the rollout began for State Auto Connect for small commercial. By the end of this year, we expect to be live in all states.
We chose the disruptive path, and while it hasn’t been without challenges, I’m more confident than ever that we made the right decision. By the second quarter of 2018, State Auto delivered more than 20 percent growth in personal lines, and we’re focused on making progress every day toward sustained profitable growth.
