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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 19 D E C E M B E R 1 , 2 0 2 5 F O C U S B A N K I N G / F I N A N C E / I N S U R A N C E Tackling climate change "e change in climate is definitely impacting the industry," Cross says. "e insurance industry is very resil- ient and I'm confident it will adjust accordingly." Kayla Dill, vice president for mar- keting and business development at Presque Isle-based MMG Insurance, says two of the biggest weather- related challenges the carrier is see- ing are more frequent wind storms and increasing incidences of severe temperature variations, particularly readings below freezing for extended periods of time. "We're investing heavily in sensor technology so that clients can keep track of temperature changes or the presence of water; the sensor will trigger an alert. We've partnered with Hartford Steam Boiler, which is a reinsurer, to begin providing devices to our policy holders at no charge," she says. "ey're the size of a credit card and you can place them in areas of concern — under a washing machine or near your sump pump. It doesn't plug in, it connects with Amazon Sidewalk net- work and other technology, similar to Blink or Ring security systems." "It's a benefit to both the policy holder and the insurance company to be preventing losses in the first place," Dill adds. Additionally, severe convective storms — hail, wind, tornadoes — are a growing issue. "We're seeing a significant increase of these weather events across the U.S. and in our coverage area. With windstorms there can be a lot of trees coming down and power outages," Dill says. "We've worked really closely with property owners across the state and with our customers in New Hampshire and Vermont to understand where trees can be a concern on their prop- erty and have been doing inspections to avoid that risk." Rooted in Maine, growing in the mid-Atlantic MMG has been a Maine-based com- pany for 128 years and is still headquar- tered in Aroostook County. "We do business with 45 agents in Maine, at over 175 locations. We insure about 5% of the premiums in Maine for both personal lines and commercial businesses," Dill says. "Our approach has traditionally been one of organic growth, versus one of mergers and acquisitions. We grow by writing one policy at a time. "Personal lines have always been a strong customer base for us. Over the years we've been adding to our com- mercial and small business focus. We reached a milestone last year, where now commercial lines premiums exceed personal line premiums, in terms of dollar value. "We expect that MMG will be over $315 million in premiums at the end of 2025." MMG has regional offices in Portsmouth, N.H.; Lancaster, Pa.; and Richmond, Va. It provides a variety of property and casualty insurances to protect personal and business assets to over 100,000 customers through 220 independent agencies. MMG has 300 employees, with 180 principally working in the Presque Isle office. "Maine continues to be an impor- tant part of our growth strategy," Dill says. "It's our largest state and accounts for 30% of our growth. "We are also seeing strong growth in our newer states of Virginia and Pennsylvania and this territory serves to help us diversify against New England weather events." C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » ceimaine.org For free business advising, workshops, & flexible financing, visit: "CEI'S LENDING RATES ARE MORE THAN COMPETITIVE, AND THE STAFF HAS BEEN GREAT TO WORK WITH. WE WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THEM." Toby and Kelly Flanders Bay Cabins Owners Robertson P. Breed, CFA ® Managing Director, Investment Advisory Services Jill Hibyan, CTFA, CFP ® Private Client Advisor Jessie Butler, CFP ® Private Client Advisor Scott Mazuzan, CFP ® Private Client Advisor Benjamin O'Connor Investment Advisor The right kind of financial advice can be your best investment ™ At F.L.Putnam, we provide consistent, objective advice so you can focus on the things most important to you. Let's connect today. Visit us at www.flputnam.com 5 Widgery Wharf • Portland, ME 04101 Disclosure: Investments in securities are not insured, protected or guaranteed and may result in loss of income and/or principal. Diversification does not eliminate the risk of market loss. A long-term investment approach cannot guarantee a profit. Nothing in this communication is intended to be or should be construed as individualized investment advice. Registration with the SEC should not be construed as an endorsement or an indicator of investment skill, acumen or experience. F.L.Putnam is not licensed to provide and does not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice to clients. For more information, please visit www.flputnam.com. We're seeing a significant increase of … weather events across the U.S. and in our coverage area. — Kayla Dill MMG Insurance P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F M M G I N S U R A N C E Kayla Dill is vice president for marketing and business development at Presque Isle-based MMG Insurance.

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