and skyrocketing liability costs began to show solid returns. And, we launched three transformational system upgrades to improve our efficiency, accuracy, and customer service delivery.
Understanding that any price increases would be difficult for customers, we proactively provided training and communication to our agents and employees who worked flexibly with customers to ease the burden as much as possible. Despite market pressures, Arbella employees were able to shine; customers and agents reported that our employees were highly responsive, transparent, and compassionate.
HERE. FOR GOOD.
We believe Arbella’s trusted brand is the result of prioritizing people. Arbella employees’ ability to connect, collaborate, and serve others enabled us to overcome numerous complex challenges in the marketplace last year. We proudly sustained our culture of work-life balance, career development, and diversity and inclusion. Once again, employees voted Arbella a Boston Business Journal Best Places to Work company for the 16th consecutive year.
The Arbella Insurance Foundation continued to positively impact the lives of the people and communities we serve. Together, Arbella employees, agents, and the Foundation contributed more than $2 million to hundreds of local charities.
THE PASSING OF A DEAR FRIEND AND LEADER
This past year, I lost my good friend, mentor, and Arbella’s co-founder, Frank Bellotti. Frank passed away in December 2024, leaving behind a legacy of leadership, strength, and kindness. When Frank and I founded Arbella in 1988, we envisioned a different kind of company—one that puts people first—and we succeeded. We will always be grateful to Frank for his compassionate nature and commitment to creating a more just world.
LOOKING AHEAD
Both extreme weather and rising liability claim costs will continue to impact our industry. We must be prepared for the unpredictable. Arbella will do what we’ve always done: leverage our strength and resilience to meet the evolving needs of the people of New England.
As always, thank you for your partnership and continued support.
John F. Donohue Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer
SERVICE
Exceptional customer service is all about people. At Arbella, we hire employees who enjoy helping others, who know what it means to treat customers with respect and dignity, and who want to make a difference. This is what we mean when we say we put people first. It is who we are, and it is core to our business strategy.
Last year, our customer contact centers responded to more than 750,000 phone and chat inquiries. Typically, our customers call us about their claims, bills, and policies, but for the past 18 months, many calls were about rate increases. Our employees were ready to help. We had provided them with the necessary training to educate customers on what is driving price increases across our industry and to minimize the rate impact when possible. Both customers and agents told us our employees were transparent, flexible, and compassionate. When we make it easier for our employees and agents to do business, the result is better service for customers. After several years of effort, we completed three major technology projects to do just that: We modernized our contact center systems, significantly reducing hold and call times. We replaced our policy payment platform so customers can enjoy the payment options they prefer. We upgraded our Commercial Package Policy systems, resulting in faster quoting, billing, and claim administration.
The Arbella Service Center is a specialized contact center that provides exceptional sales and service on behalf of a select group of our independent agents. In 2024, we welcomed several large agents and grew substantially. We were pleased to hear from agents that we made it easy for them to deliver the high-quality service experience their customers value.
Employee engagement and morale are always important, but in challenging times, they are even more essential. To ensure our employees know how valued and supported they are, we promoted several Service team members and recognized numerous team milestones while maintaining a positive work environment. We sustained strong employee retention throughout the year.
In 2025 and beyond, we will continue to invest in our employees and technologies and provide the people of New England with a responsive, knowledgeable, and respectful service experience.
“I’ve been an Arbella customer for many years and have always liked the company. I recently moved and needed an interim insurance policy. Buying a new home can be stressful but everyone at Arbella answered my questions promptly and were so calm and helpful. I highly recommend Arbella to anyone.”
– Joyce G.
COMMERCIAL LINES
Despite the industry-wide impact of rising claim costs, Arbella Commercial Lines was prepared for the headwinds of 2024. After a multi-year effort, we built a strong and diversified book of business, including property and liability lines. In 2024, we maintained a healthy balance of writing new business with necessary rate increases and strong customer retention. Our disciplined underwriting approach, combined with a focus on profitable growth, continued to be the foundation of our success.
As a result of this work, we achieved robust financial results, including a 7.7% increase in direct voluntary revenue growth, a direct voluntary loss/ALE ratio of 42.6%, and a net combined ratio of 92.8%. Despite market pricing pressures, we increased our new business over the previous year, surpassing $30 million in new account premium. We also continued our expansion into New Hampshire, increasing our revenue there by more than 17%.
Of course, we couldn’t have done this alone. The partnerships we’ve built with our agents are a testament to how we work together in difficult times. During a year when policy pricing conversations were often challenging, our agents reported that Arbella employees remained readily available and committed to developing competitive solutions to address customer needs.
The impact of climate change and extreme weather remained a critical concern for commercial property, and our team developed innovative solutions to help customers become more weather resilient. Our dedicated Loss Control team distinguished us in the market by assisting customers in developing business strategies to address weather-related perils.
Our industry is facing many uncertainties and the challenges we witnessed in 2024 will persist in 2025. However, Arbella is a financially strong commercial insurance leader, and we will continue to provide the coverage, pricing, and support our agents and customers need.
“Arbella provides Gallagher customers with tailored commercial insurance solutions at fair prices. Their proactive and transparent communication makes it easy to meet our customers’ expectations. Most importantly, when our customers have a claim, Arbella’s empathy and responsiveness make them hard to beat in the industry.”
– Tim Lodge Area President – New England, Gallagher
CULTURE & BRAND
Arbella’s brand has and always will reflect who we are— a relationship company that puts people first. Community and connection are highlighted in our brand campaigns throughout the region.
Our principal advertising and marketing campaign for 2024 featured uplifting messaging in support of Special Olympics of Massachusetts. We featured TV, billboard, and social media ads that supported our brand messaging as a company that cares. The campaign led to an increase in donations and volunteer participation for this great cause.
Our sports partnerships enabled us to reach a large, passionate New England audience, and increase our brand visibility throughout the year. Our long-standing affiliation with the Celtics began with banner No. 17 and ended on a high note with the team winning banner No. 18. What a run! We continued our Bruins Kid Captain program, giving local youth hockey players the opportunity to act as captain for a game. Our New England Revolution partnership enabled us to sponsor soccer clinics for the Boston Center for Youth and Families.
We continued to prioritize talent development initiatives to help our employees learn, grow, and succeed. Arbella promoted 174 people last year, including 33 into leadership roles, and our
FOUNDATION
Despitea national decline in charitable giving in 2024, the Arbella Foundation saw an inspiring surge in volunteerism and donations by Arbella employees and agents. Together with the Foundation, they donated $2.2 million to more than 500 local charities that address hunger, homelessness, education, health care, immigration, and more.
At the heart of the Foundation is the shared commitment of Arbella employees and agents to strengthen the communities we collectively serve. Utilizing the Foundation’s Matching Gift Program, $645,000 was donated to nonprofits, including more than $50,000 to local food pantries. Employees also raised tens of thousands of dollars through the Foundation’s signature charitable campaigns: Let’s Drive Out Hunger, Pink Day, Strike Out Cancer, and our Social Justice Initiative.
In April, more than 80 employees, along with their families and friends, participated in the Stop the Stigma 5K, hosted by Interfaith Social Services in Quincy, Massachusetts. Together, employees and the Foundation raised over $14,000 to support mental health counseling services.
THES As Seen
1,600 $2.2 million Tens of thousands
was donated to nonprofits by the Foundation together with Arbella employees and agents.
volunteer hours — a 22% increase over 2023 — were donated by Arbella employees to causes they care deeply about.
of dollars were raised through the Foundation’s signature charitable campaigns: Let’s Drive Out Hunger, Pink Day, Strike Out Cancer, and our Social Justice Initiative.
Beyond financial contributions, Arbella employees dedicated more than 1,600 volunteer hours to causes they care deeply about—a 22% increase over 2023. From knitting and crocheting hats for the Ellie Fund, which provides essential support for breast cancer patients, to collecting clothing for Catie’s Closet, which serves children in need, their impact was felt across the region. Throughout the year, the Foundation sponsored 65 employee volunteer opportunities, demonstrating its commitment to hands-on community engagement.
In 2024, the Foundation expanded its reach by forging new nonprofit partnerships, including with the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center. With a substantial contribution from the Foundation, the health center built a new, state-of-the-art mobile health clinic. Launched in June, the clinic provides essential medical care to immigrants, unhoused individuals, and families who lack access to health care.
“Volunteering through the Foundation enables me to extend my reach and provide support to those experiencing food insecurity, homelessness, and other economic and social conditions. It’s also helped me build relationships with coworkers I might otherwise not get to know in my day-to-day role.”
– Jonathan Hatch Arbella Financial Accountant
NEW ENGLAND’S INSURANCE NEWSMAGAZINE
Published Since 1865 Boston, Mass.
In 2025, the Foundation proudly celebrates its 20th anniversary. This milestone is a testament to the generosity and dedication of Arbella employees, agents, and community partners. The Foundation is honored to continue its vital work and remains steadfast in its mission to improve lives across New England.
July 5, 2024 Vol.
Arbella sells property and casualty insurance products through independent and other local agents in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.*
$1,206,878
OFFICERS OF THE ARBELLA INSURANCE GROUP
JOHN F. DONOHUE
Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer
ROBERT BIZAK
Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing
PAUL J. BRADY
Executive Vice President, Head of Claim
JANET R. CORCORAN
Chief Operating Officer & Executive Vice President
GAIL EAGAN
Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary
CHRISTOPHER E. HALL
Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer & Executive Vice President
JAMES S. HYATT
Chief Underwriting Officer & Executive Vice President
GAYLE O’CONNELL
Chief Marketing Officer & Executive Vice President
LYNELLEN M. RAMIREZ
Chief Actuary & Senior Vice President, Research Analytics
WILLIAM S. HUGHES
Vice President, Commercial Lines
MATTHEW Y. POSTULKA
Vice President, Chief Information Officer
IN MEMORIAM
FRANCIS X. BELLOTTI
Proudly served Arbella as Vice Chairman from 1988-2024.
