Food Manufacturer & Distributor Cuts Insurance Costs by $967K — Without Sacrificing Coverage

Discover how Cottingham & Butler restructured a stalled insurance program in under 60 days — delivering broader coverage, higher limits, and significantly lower total cost.

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Key Wins

$967K in Total Premium Savings

With 28% reduction inoverall insurance spend

42% Reduction in Average Property Rate

Saving $690K inproperty premium $60M Property Limits

Property limits increased$25M to $60M with theoption to expand to $75M

Workers’ Comp Premium Reduction

25% Workers' Compensation

premium reduction despite

payroll growth

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The Situation

A food manufacturer and distributor headquartered in Chicago, IL engaged Cottingham & Butler late in the cycle — facing a market that had already been worked — and needed a partner who could re-engage carriers, restructure the program, and deliver results quickly.

The challenge: the property program was significantly underinsured with only $25M in limits, the workers' compensation program was overpriced relative to the actual risk profile, and the broader program lacked the structure to position the insured competitively with carriers.

Why They Needed Change

The insured's program had been on autopilot — with no proactive strategy to address rising costs, inadequate limits, or coverage gaps. They needed a broker who could tell the right story to the marketplace and fight for materially better terms, not simply accept what the market offered.

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The Cottingham & Butler Approach

	Property Program Restructuring Re-engaged carriers after the incumbent had already worked the market Increased property limits from $25M to $60M (with an option to expand to $75M) Reduced average property rate by 42%, saving approximately $690,000 in premium Secured expanded Earthquake and Flood coverage: CA earthquake increased to $10M; non-high-hazard earthquake and flood doubled to $20M with minimal incremental premium
	Workers' Compensation Optimization Secured $10M umbrella limit for contractual requirements, with the primary insurer offering a $5M primary umbrella limit Eliminated work comp deductible, improving cash flow Significant premium savings driven primarily by inflated auto and workers' compensation premiums
	Broader Program Improvements Increased Cyber and Recall limits to $5M Reduced excess umbrella cost by more than 40% year-over-year Negotiated 0% finance terms on casualty lines with the carrier — saving $80K annually in finance fees