Organizational Change Plan OK’d by Policyholders of Wisconsin’s Jewelers Mutual

Policyholders of Neenah, Wisconsin-based Jewelers Mutual Insurance Co. have approved the company’s plan to convert its corporate structure to a mutual holding company.

Policyholders voted Sept. 12 to approve the conversion. The plan received 87.1 percent support from votes cast by proxy or in person, surpassing the required approval of two thirds of voting members.

The conversion to a mutual holding company, previously approved by the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Jewelers Mutual board of directors, will become effective upon issuance of a certificate of authority by the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner, which is expected on or shortly after Jan. 1, 2020.

Under the new structure, Jewelers Mutual Holding Co. will become the group’s new parent company, with Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company SI becoming a stock subsidiary company wholly owned by the mutual holding company.

The company said that by creating a mutual holding company, Jewelers Mutual will enhance its ability to innovate and bring new value to its customers — and the jewelry industry — with new ventures. In recent years, Jewelers Mutual has already taken steps to expand its product offerings, including its JM Shipping Solution and JM Care Plan solutions.

A mutual holding company structure also retains Jewelers Mutual’s 100-plus year history as a company operated solely for the benefit of its policyholder members. Policyholders of Jewelers Mutual will receive essentially the identical membership rights in the mutual holding company that they have today.

While a mutual holding company structure would allow Jewelers Mutual to consider the sale of stock to raise capital, it has no plans to do so.

Coverage, premium rates and claims handling under existing Jewelers Mutual insurance policies are unaffected by the change to a mutual holding company. Company and agent operations are also unaffected.

Jewelers Mutual Insurance Group was founded in 1913 by a group of Wisconsin jewelers.

Source: Jewelers Mutual