Ross, Tilleman Quoted On GuideOne’s Pursuit of Mutual Conversion

Partners Anne Ross and Morgan Tilleman were quoted in a S&P Global Market Intelligence article, “GuideOne latest specialty P&C insurer to pursue mutual conversion,” about plans by GudeOne Mutual Insurance Co. and GuideOne Specialty Mutual Insurance Co. to become stock subsidiaries of an intermediate holding company formed under the newly established GuideOne Mutual Holding Co.

Tilleman, who provided counsel to Sentry Insurance A Mutual Co. and SECURA Insurance A Mutual Co. on separate mutual holding company conversions that took effect at the start of the year, said “flexibility is an important benefit to the insurance company and its members.”

The ability to gain ownership of ancillary, noninsurance companies at a time insurers see a future in the development of synergistic technologies is also key to the value proposition that the structure provides, Ross said.

Planning for a mutual holding company conversion and realizing the associated benefits each takes several years, she added, noting that the structure “has become even more compelling “ at a time when the pandemic has “accelerated some trends already pushing small and mid-sized companies to look at consolidation.”