Fire Districts of NY Mutual Insurance

What Fire Districts of NY Mutual Insurance does

Fire Districts of NY Mutual Insurance Co. Inc. (FDM) is a New York-domiciled mutual insurance carrier founded in 1978 that insures fire districts, municipalities, and related entities exclusively within New York State. The company specializes in two interconnected statutory lines: Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit Law (VFBL) coverage, which provides weekly cash payments, full medical care, and death benefits to volunteer firefighters injured in the line of duty; and Workers' Compensation coverage for paid fire employees, secretaries, and fire commissioners of fire districts. FDM is structured as a policyholder-owned mutual ('Formed by Volunteers, Owned by Volunteers, for the Service of Volunteers'), with no external shareholders, parent company, or public listing.

The product surface is narrowly scoped: VFBL Part One (statutory benefits), VFBL Part Two Employers Liability (automatically bundled — a differentiator versus competitors where this coverage is optional), and Workers' Compensation. Supporting services include loss control surveys, health and safety officer resources, claims filing administration, medical bill review (delegated to Rising Medical Solutions since May 2025), and pharmacy benefits management (delegated to Cadence Rx since May 2025). The technology stack is traditional; there is no proprietary platform, API, or app — distribution and claims are managed through independent brokers, the FDM website, email bulletins, and direct staff contact.

FDM operates from a single headquarters in Pearl River, NY, with 1-10 employees, generating revenue through annual guaranteed-cost insurance premiums determined by payroll audit. Policies are not repriced for claims activity or funding shortfalls, eliminating assessment risk that self-insured pools carry. Distribution runs exclusively through independent insurance brokers (no direct sales), supplemented by association partnerships (AFDSNY) and educational content (Coffee with Commissioners webinars, Fire News & The Firehouse Podcast). FDM has held an AM Best 'A-' (Excellent) Financial Strength Rating for five consecutive years (initial FSR assignment 1990) and received Demotech's 2024 STAR Award (State Specialist category).

Name

Fire Districts of NY Mutual Insurance

Legal name

Fire Districts of New York Mutual Insurance Co., Inc.

Website

https://fdmny.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fire Districts of NY Mutual Insurance Co. Inc. is a New York mutual insurer founded in 1978 providing Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit Law (VFBL) and Workers' Compensation coverage exclusively to fire districts and municipalities in New York State.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Mutual Insurance — Volunteer Firefighter & Workers' Compensation

NAICS

Direct Property and Casualty Insurance Carriers (524126), Insurance Carriers and Related Activities (524)

SIC

Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance (6331)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial General Liability (CGL) (FSAJADAA)

Keywords

• Volunteer firefighter insurance
• Fire district coverage
• Workers compensation insurance
• Statutory benefits coverage
• Specialty mutual insurance

Headquarters

HQ city

Pearl River

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Insurance Premiums (VFBL and Workers' Compensation): FDM generates revenue through annual insurance premiums charged to fire districts and municipalities for Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit Law (VFBL) coverage and associated Workers' Compensation coverage. Premiums are based on payroll audit and the guaranteed cost program — the premium paid for a policy year is final (subject to payroll audit) and is not adjusted due to claims activity or funding shortfalls. FDM also provides optional Part Two (Employers Liability) coverage as part of its policy offerings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fire Districts of NY Mutual Insurance Co. Inc. (FDM) is a mutual insurance company that provides Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit Law (VFBL) statutory benefits coverage and Workers' Compensation coverage to fire districts, fire departments, and municipalities across New York State. Coverage includes weekly cash benefits, medical/hospital/rehabilitative care, permanent injury and death benefits for volunteers injured in the line of duty, plus Employers Liability (Part Two) protection for fire districts. The company distributes exclusively through independent insurance brokers and agents.

Product overview

Fire Districts of NY Mutual Insurance Co. Inc. (FDM) operates as a specialized mutual insurance company offering two interconnected core insurance products: Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit Law (VFBL) coverage and Workers' Compensation coverage for fire districts. VFBL coverage includes Part One (statutory benefits) and Part Two (employers liability) components. FDM provides these coverages alongside complementary services including medical bill review, pharmacy benefits management, loss control surveys, health and safety officer support, and claims filing assistance. The company partners with Rising Medical Solutions for medical bill review and Cadence Rx for pharmacy benefits management. FDM was founded in 1978 and is owned by its policyholders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• VFBL (Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit Law) Coverage Statutory benefits insurance providing weekly cash payments, medical care, podiatry, chiropractic, rehabilitative, and hospital care for volunteer firefighters injured in the line of duty, including death benefits for surviving statutory dependents. For fire districts, fire departments, villages, towns, and cities in New York State required to provide this statutory coverage.
• Workers' Compensation Coverage for Fire Districts Workers' Compensation coverage for paid employees of fire districts in New York State, including paid firefighters, secretaries, and fire commissioners, with forms and claims administration provided.
• Loss Control Surveys Risk assessment and safety evaluation services to help fire districts reduce injuries and manage claims costs. Available to FDM policyholders.
• Health & Safety Officer Services Resources and support for fire district health and safety officers to help reduce line-of-duty injuries among volunteer and paid firefighters.
• Claims Filing Services Claims submission and management services including forms, direct deposit options, and dedicated claims staff assistance for VFBL and Workers' Compensation claims filed by or on behalf of injured volunteer firefighters and paid employees of fire districts.
• Broker Services Services for independent insurance brokers including new business applications, quote requests, and renewal applications for VFBL and Workers' Compensation coverage. FDM works exclusively through local independent insurance brokers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Coverage based on 100% earning capacity for all member policyholders — meaning volunteer firefighters receive full wage replacement benefits, not partial
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Fire News & The Firehouse PodcastminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 March 2025FDM EVP/COO Roy Denny was interviewed by Fire News & The Firehouse Podcast at the 2025 Long Island Metro Fire/EMS Expo, discussing FDM's services and VFBL coverage for New York's volunteer firefighters. This represents FDM's outreach to the broader fire service media community.
• Rising Medical Solutions, Inc.coreTechnology or Integration · 13 March 2025Beginning May 1, 2025, Rising Medical Solutions, Inc. became FDM's medical bill review vendor. They handle review of medical bills submitted for VFBL and Workers' Compensation claims. Invoices should be submitted to Rising Medical Solutions at P.O. Box 294, Milwaukee, WI 53201. E-billing is available through www.datadimensions.com/risingms with Payor ID LV187. FDM's previous medical bill review vendor transition in September 2023 was to ManageAbility, Inc., which was later replaced.
• Cadence RxcoreTechnology or Integration · 13 March 2025Beginning May 1, 2025, Cadence Rx became FDM's pharmacy benefits management vendor. Group: FDMNY, Bin #: 021460, PCN: CRX. Contact: 888-813-0023 or [email protected]. Cadence Rx handles first-fill pharmacy benefits for claimants under FDM's VFBL and Workers' Compensation coverage.
• Association of Fire Districts of the State of New York (AFDSNY)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 December 2024FDM EVP/COO Roy Denny participated in AFDSNY's 'Coffee with Commissioners' Zoom/webinar on December 14, 2024, discussing what fire districts should do when a staff member is injured, covering VFBL claims processes, documentation requirements, reporting, and claim closing procedures. This is part of ongoing educational outreach to the fire service community.
• Data Dimensions (for Rising Medical Solutions e-billing)coreTechnology or IntegrationData Dimensions provides e-billing capability allowing medical providers to send invoices digitally to Rising Medical Solutions / FDM. The e-billing portal is available at www.datadimensions.com/risingms with Payor ID LV187. This enables streamlined medical invoice submission and processing for FDM claims.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Volunteer Firemen's Insurance Services (VFIS): VFIS is the most direct peer to FDM, providing specialized insurance products (accident & health, AD&D, property & casualty, and Workers' Compensation coverage) exclusively to volunteer fire departments, EMS organizations, and rescue squads. Like FDM, VFIS focuses exclusively on the volunteer fire service niche and is the closest comparable in product set, customer type, and channel model.
• PMA Companies: PMA Companies is a specialty insurance carrier focused on public entities, municipalities, and Workers' Compensation, similar in market and product mix to FDM. PMA writes Workers' Comp and liability coverage for government-related insureds, making it directly comparable in target customer and lines of business.
• Glatfelter Insurance Group: Glatfelter is a specialty insurance broker and program manager serving public entities, schools, and volunteer fire/EMS organizations through VFIS and related programs. Its close integration with volunteer fire service programs (including VFIS) makes it a strong direct peer for FDM's specialized niche.
• New York State Insurance Fund (NYSIF): NYSIF is New York's state-sponsored Workers' Compensation insurer and a direct competitor for FDM's Workers' Compensation book. NYSIF competes for the same NY fire-district and municipal Workers' Comp business, and any preferential state policy shift could reroute policyholders away from FDM to NYSIF.
• Accident Fund Holdings: Accident Fund is a specialty Workers' Compensation carrier writing public-entity and specialty lines, with a comparable product mix to FDM's Workers' Comp book. Its focus on WC-only and specialty lines makes it a relevant product-overlap peer.
• EMC Insurance Companies: EMC is a specialty mutual insurance company writing property/casualty and Workers' Compensation, with a similar mutual-ownership model and specialty line focus to FDM. Comparable in governance, product mix, and target segments.
• Midwest Employers Casualty (MEC): MEC is a specialty Workers' Compensation excess carrier focused on public entities, municipalities, and hazardous-industry employers. Its product overlap with FDM's Workers' Comp practice and target public-entity segment make it a comparable peer in the specialty WC market.

Broad incumbents

• WR Berkley Corporation: WR Berkley is a specialty insurance conglomerate with multiple operating units writing Workers' Compensation, casualty, and specialty public-entity lines. While much larger and more diversified than FDM, it competes in adjacent Workers' Comp and specialty public-entity markets.
• Travelers: Travelers is one of the largest US property/casualty insurers, with a Workers' Compensation line and public-entity practice that overlap with FDM's offerings. As a broad incumbent, Travelers competes indirectly for the same NY fire-district accounts through broker relationships.
• The Hartford: The Hartford is a major Workers' Compensation and commercial property/casualty insurer with a long-standing public-entity practice. Its Workers' Comp and small-government unit compete with FDM for the same NY municipal and fire-district business.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fire Districts of NY Mutual Insurance