Plymouth Rock Reaches Agreement with Holyoke Mutual; Plymouth Rock Will Offer Holyoke Mutual Agents Mass. Private Passenger Auto Contracts

    BOSTON--June 18, 2003--Plymouth Rock Assurance Corporation will offer five-year contracts to independent agents who represent Holyoke Mutual for Massachusetts private passenger auto insurance.
    Holyoke Mutual Insurance Company in Salem will no longer write Massachusetts private-passenger auto insurance effective January 1, 2004.
    Under the agreement, Holyoke agents who transfer business to Plymouth Rock will be able to have their policies electronically transferred directly from Holyoke to Plymouth Rock beginning November 2003 for January 2004 renewals. This will create a seamless transition for Holyoke's independent agents.
    The Massachusetts Division of Insurance approved the plan for the orderly transfer of business from Holyoke Mutual to Plymouth Rock under Commonwealth Automobile Reinsurers (CAR) Rule 3(C). CAR will reassign Holyoke's exclusive representative producers to Plymouth Rock.
    "We welcome Holyoke's agents and customers to Plymouth Rock. We are committed to providing a smooth transition and will work very hard to exceed their expectations with respect to customer service," said Hal Belodoff, president of Boston-based Plymouth Rock.
    Plymouth Rock Assurance, a subsidiary of The Plymouth Rock Company, had $145.6 million in direct written auto premiums in 2002, with $142.8 million in Massachusetts and $2.8 million in Connecticut. It is the ninth-largest private passenger auto insurer in Massachusetts, insuring about 162,000 Massachusetts autos, or 3.9 percent of the market.
    Plymouth Rock is known for its award-winning claim services: Crashbusters(R) and its year-old Door-to-Door Service, which delivers a damaged car to the shop, provides a rental car, pays the bill and returns the repaired car to the customer faster. Plymouth Rock's Web technology makes it easy for agents to do business with the company and serve their customers fast and efficiently. On the Web: www.plymouthrock.com.