Impactful Companies in Focus – Amerisafe

In 2018, we launched the M&G (Lux) Positive Impact Fund. Fund manager John William Olsen focuses on companies that make an effective contribution to solving the world's major climate and social problems. However, equities eligible for the fund must also offer the potential of attractive investment results. Therefore, the fund invests in six different impact areas - three with a social focus and three with an environmental focus.

In our series "Impactful Companies in Focus" we introduce you to one company at a time in which we are invested. It is important to emphasise that our fund is not a pure climate-change fund, which would be solely about carbon footprint, but instead has a broader view on impact investing.

Amerisafe

Amerisafe is a Texas-based insurance provider, specialising in workers’ compensation insurance for small to mid-sized employers in hazardous industries. The company’s customers reside in 27 states, operating across a range of industries including construction, trucking, agriculture, manufacturing and maritime.

People first

In the event of a workplace injury, Amerisafe will cover the injured employee’s medical bills, and provide compensation for lost income due to injuries or death. This ensures that employees in hazardous industries receive adequate financial and medical assistance and safeguards their families’ basic needs following a work injury. It therefore provides vital services to small and medium-sized enterprises, which may be considered too small to be adequately covered by larger insurers in the US.

Amerisafe believes that all injured workers deserve to be treated with respect, and the company carries out a personable, face-to-face approach to its cover. Amerisafe’s Field Safety Professionals (FSPs) live in proximity to policyholders, so they are able to attend promptly and in-person in the event of an incident. Supported by Nurse Case Managers, FSPs will guide the employee through the process of medical treatment, rehabilitation and return to work.

‘Safe above all’

Many of Amerisafe’s customers are small businesses without their own dedicated safety divisions or well-defined procedures. The company plays a dual role, not only providing adequate cover which may not be available from larger insurers, but also helping to educate and improve customers’ safety standards. It achieves this by having its FSPs attend prospective customers’ workplaces, to carry out safety inspections and provide recommendations before quoting for an insurance policy. In certain cases, the company will mandate changes before providing cover, to minimise the risk of traumatic and debilitating injuries to workers.

This prioritisation of safety, which the company refers to as ‘Safe above all’, helps to drive a lower frequency and severity of claims, which benefits Amerisafe, its customers and their employees.

The company also provides comprehensive training on an ongoing basis, both in-person and through its online education and training centre. Training programmes are tailored to fit the industries the company serves, and cover topics ranging from accident investigation and fire prevention to forklift safety, overhead cranes and scaffolding.

Impact area: Better work and education

Primary SDG: SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth

KPI: # of policies

KPI measurement: >8,400 policies

Learn more about Impact Investing at M&G