Frank Noyes, Executive Underwriter at Markel Programs, stated, "We are excited to be getting in on the ground floor of this emerging food industry niche with Ron Ortega and the experienced, professional staff of Whorton Insurance Services. The growth potential for Markel, Whorton, and our producers is tremendous, and unquestionably, Markel is the right partner for fulfilling the insurance needs of this market."
“I am truly excited about working with Markel, a firm that has an entrepreneurial spirit with the ability to perceive opportunities that others do not see. This was certainly the case when we proposed our ideas that ultimately resulted in creating a new insurance program for an evolving industry,” commented Ron Ortega, Program Manager for Whorton.
Jim Whorton, President of Whorton Insurance Services, added, “For an insurance program to be successful, it needs to include several key elements. None is more important than having the right carrier partner.
“With Markel, we found the perfect partner. We not only shared values, principles, and underwriting philosophy; but from the start, we were on the same wavelength with a key interest in finding and understanding new opportunities that in the future will foster rewarding business ventures.”
Target classes for the program include small-to-medium size mobile food vendors that are individually owned or operated, such as licensed hot food and cold lunch trucks, gourmet coffee vendors, and catering trucks. The program is currently available in California, Texas, Ohio, Oregon, Colorado, Florida, and Washington, with expansion into other states planned soon.
ABOUT MARKEL PROGRAMS
A division of Markel Corporation, Markel Programs develops partnerships with managing general agents to offer single-source, admitted and non-admitted programs for a specific class or line of business. Markel Corporation markets and underwrites specialty insurance products and programs to a variety of niche markets. In each of these markets, the Company seeks to provide quality products and excellent customer service so that it can be a market leader. The financial goals of the Company are to earn consistent underwriting profits and superior investment returns to build shareholder value. To learn more about Markel Programs, visit markelprograms.com.
ABOUT WHORTON INSURANCE SERVICES, INC.
Whorton Insurance Services, Inc. is a Texas-based company with multiple offices in Texas and California. The agency was established in 1972 on the founding principles of time-honored values including integrity, respect, trust, teamwork, excellence, and service to others.