Overview
Farmers Insurance Group of Cos. is a subsidiary of the conservatively-run Zurich Financial Services Group of Switzerland, one of Europe's largest insurers. Farmers is the third-largest personal lines property-and-casualty insurance group in the U.S. This Los Angeles-based company offers life, home and auto insurance and financial services to individuals. Farmers manages but doesn't own the Farmers insurance exchanges in the U.S. and doesn't bear the underwriting risks.
Farmers is a down to earth company. Farmers CEO Robert "Bob" Woudstra worked for an insurer of mobile homes, among other things, that was acquired by the company several years ago. If motorcycles are more your thing, employees and agents ride in biker fundraisers for the March of Dimes, which Farmers sponsors.
Recruiting
Farmers Insurance Group of Cos. careers pages host "Day in the Life" videos of employees. The University of Farmers, a 120,000-square-foot facility in Agoura Hills, Calif., offers agents and employees leadership, management and other training. Through its relationship with Zurich, the company offers a global management training program.