Preferred Employers Insurance
Preferred Employers Insurance is a San Diego-based specialty workers compensation insurance carrier serving California employers exclusively. A wholly-owned subsidiary of W. R. Berkley Corporation, it operates California's only directly-contracted Medical Provider Network and distributes through a semi-exclusive network of approximately 140 brokers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersSan Diego, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Preferred Employers Insurance does
Preferred Employers Insurance is a San Diego-based specialty workers compensation insurance carrier founded in 1998 that underwrites exclusively for California employers. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of W. R. Berkley Corporation (NYSE: WRB, Fortune 500, S&P 500), whose insurance subsidiaries carry an A+ (Superior) A.M. Best rating, and operates with approximately 111 employees across headquarters in San Diego and a secondary office in Walnut Creek.
The company's core product is California workers compensation insurance, distributed through a semi-exclusive network of approximately 140 licensed insurance brokers plus 20 custom association and franchise programs serving roughly 3,000 policyholders. Its principal technical differentiator is the Preferred Select Medical Provider Network—described as California's only directly-contracted workers compensation MPN—comprising 5,000+ credentialed physicians, supplemented by 24/7 MPN+ Telehealth in English and Spanish. The technology stack centers on the Berkley Beyond online portal (app.peiwc.com), which provides policy management, claims reporting, payroll audit submission, and online quote-and-bind capabilities for brokers, with mandatory multi-factor authentication rolled out in 2026.
Preferred's revenue model is built on workers compensation premiums priced against payroll and risk classification codes, with a "Preferred Express" unit handling small business policies under $25k in annual premium on an instant-quote basis. The company reports 90%+ customer retention across 10,000+ California customers, 85% of claims files closed within the first year of injury, 98% satisfaction among claimants who experience a claim, and 90% of inquiries resolved on first call. Distribution, underwriting, and product investment accelerated materially in 2025–2026 with new senior leadership appointments and a multi-phase digital platform refresh.
Preferred Employers Insurance firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Preferred Employers Insurance
- Legal name
- Preferred Employers Insurance
- Website
- https://peiwc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Preferred Employers Insurance is a San Diego-based specialty workers compensation insurance carrier serving California employers exclusively. A wholly-owned subsidiary of W. R. Berkley Corporation, it operates California's only directly-contracted Medical Provider Network and distributes through a semi-exclusive network of approximately 140 brokers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Preferred Employers Insurance industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Workers Compensation Insurance
- NAICS
- Direct Property and Casualty Insurance Carriers (524126), Direct Insurance (except Life, Health, and Medical) Carriers (52412)
- SIC
- Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance (6331)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Workers’ Compensation Insurance (FSAJAMAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Workplace Injury & Medical-Only Coverage (FSAJAEAA)
Keywords
Where Preferred Employers Insurance is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Diego
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Preferred Employers Insurance business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Workers Compensation Insurance Premiums: Core revenue stream from providing workers compensation insurance policies to California employers. Premiums are based on payroll and risk classification. The company offers competitive rates through their specialty insurance approach with lower-than-average operating and claim ratios.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Preferred Express - Small Business Unit |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Preferred Employers Insurance product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Preferred Employers Insurance provides specialty workers compensation insurance exclusively to California employers, integrated with a directly-contracted Medical Provider Network (Preferred Select MPN), in-house claims management, risk advisory services, and workplace safety resources. The company distributes coverage through a semi-exclusive network of approximately 140 licensed insurance brokers, with direct policyholder self-service via the Berkley Beyond online portal.
Product overview
Preferred Employers Insurance offers a unified workers compensation insurance platform for California employers, centered on its core insurance product integrated with the Preferred Select Medical Provider Network (MPN). The platform includes customer-facing (Berkley Beyond) and broker-facing (Online Quote & Bind) portals for policy management, claims reporting, and payroll administration. Supporting modules include MPN+ telehealth services for 24/7 medical access, a Risk Management Center Portal for workplace safety resources, and Medical Access Assistance for provider coordination. All components operate within the W. R. Berkley Corporation ecosystem, rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 90%+ customer retention rate
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Preferred Employers Insurance
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Preferred Employers Insurance technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature5 records
Preferred Employers Insurance partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Veterinary Insurance Services Company (VISC)coreVISC is a key partner program serving Sacramento area employers, particularly in government, healthcare, education, construction, and agriculture sectors. Preferred works with VISC to deliver workers compensation coverage to their member businesses.
- California Medical Association (CMA)corePartnership since 2015 with California Medical Association serving physicians and healthcare industry members. Preferred provides customized workers compensation insurance services addressing the unique challenges of physicians and healthcare workers. Includes commitment to CMA mission and support for association growth.
- Pacific Restaurant Association/Snapp & AssociatescoreOver a decade-long partnership providing workplace safety, loss control, and claims management support for Pacific Restaurant Association members. During COVID-19, provided support with payroll reports, audits, and suspended billings. Association values Preferred's unparalleled level of service.
- Berkley Re Turnkey SolutionsminorBerkley business unit that collaborated on IMCA Ignite Award-winning campaign for a new product. Part of the collaborative marketing effort across multiple Berkley companies.
- Berkley Program SpecialistsminorBerkley business unit that collaborated on IMCA Ignite Award-winning campaign for a new product. Part of the collaborative marketing effort across multiple Berkley companies.
- California Workers' Compensation Institute (CWCI)coreEric Hansen, SVP at Preferred, re-elected as Chair of CWCI Board of Directors for 2025. CWCI is dedicated to enhancing research, education, and representation in California's workers compensation system. CWCI members include 25 insurer groups (comprising ~200 underwriting companies writing 76% of CA statewide workers comp premium) and 30 largest self-insured employers.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Preferred Employers Insurance competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- State Compensation Insurance Fund: California's state-established workers' compensation carrier and the largest writer of CA workers' comp. Competes head-to-head with PEI on California SMB and middle-market accounts, often on price.
- Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies: Workers' compensation and commercial property/casualty carrier group owned by Berkshire Hathaway. Major CA workers' comp writer serving mid-market and large accounts through independent agents, competing with PEI on price and capacity.
- AmTrust Financial Services: Large specialty P&C insurer with significant workers' comp book for SMBs in California. Competes on price and program business similar to PEI's association/franchise programs.
- The Hartford (Workers' Comp): National P&C carrier with significant workers' compensation business for mid-market and large employers in California. Competes with PEI especially in the middle market and through agency partnerships.
- Travelers (Workers' Comp): Fortune 100 P&C carrier with broad workers' compensation offerings in California across SMB and mid-market. Competes on capacity, brand, and bundled coverages.
Direct peers
- ICW Group: Privately held workers' compensation specialist serving Western U.S. small and mid-market employers through independent agents. Closest direct peer given overlapping CA focus, broker distribution model, and specialty underwriting approach.
- Employers Holdings: Public specialty workers' comp carrier (NYSE: EIG) focused on small business employers. Highly comparable product, customer segment, and distribution model, though with multi-state footprint versus PEI's CA-only book.
- Zenith Insurance Company: California-headquartered workers' compensation specialist serving employers primarily through independent agents and brokers. Directly comparable product line, geography, and distribution model to PEI.
- Republic Indemnity: California-based workers' comp specialist acquired by American Financial Group. Comparable focus on California employers and broker-driven distribution; competes directly with PEI in similar SMB segments.
- CopperPoint Insurance Companies: Western U.S. workers' compensation carrier (formerly AZ-focused) that has expanded into California. Specialty comp carrier comparable to PEI in product mix, customer segment, and broker distribution model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat7 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Preferred Employers Insurance social profiles
Digital presencePreferred Employers Insurance financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Preferred Employers Insurance leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Preferred Employers Insurance funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Preferred Employers Insurance M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Preferred Employers Insurance
What does Preferred Employers Insurance do?
Preferred Employers Insurance provides specialty workers compensation insurance exclusively to California employers, integrated with a directly-contracted Medical Provider Network (Preferred Select MPN), in-house claims management, risk advisory services, and workplace safety resources. The company distributes coverage through a semi-exclusive network of approximately 140 licensed insurance brokers, with direct policyholder self-service via the Berkley Beyond online portal.
Is Preferred Employers Insurance a public or private company?
Preferred Employers Insurance is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Preferred Employers Insurance founded?
Preferred Employers Insurance was founded in 1998. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Preferred Employers Insurance based?
Preferred Employers Insurance is headquartered in San Diego, United States, in the North America region.
How does Preferred Employers Insurance make money?
One revenue line is on record: workers Compensation Insurance Premiums.
Who are Preferred Employers Insurance's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are State Compensation Insurance Fund, Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies, AmTrust Financial Services, The Hartford (Workers' Comp) and Travelers (Workers' Comp). Direct peers are ICW Group, Employers Holdings, Zenith Insurance Company, Republic Indemnity and CopperPoint Insurance Companies.
Does Preferred Employers Insurance have an API?
No public API is recorded for Preferred Employers Insurance.
What industry is Preferred Employers Insurance in?
Preferred Employers Insurance's product category is Workers Compensation Insurance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAJAMAF, Workers’ Compensation Insurance, with a secondary code of FSAJAEAA, Workplace Injury & Medical-Only Coverage. Its NAICS code is 524126 and its SIC code is 6331.