Greater New York Mutual Insurance Co. is expanding its presence into Virginia, the farthest south the regional insurer has ventured.

The company, an underwriter of commercial multi-peril coverage in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions, has hired a Virginia marketing representative and is seeking brokers to represent it in the state, according to Mike Gosnell, branch manager for GNY for the last two years.

“The Virginia market is wide open,” Gosnell told IFAwebnews.com.

The 95-year-old, New York-based company specializes in commercial habitational risks, restaurants, hotels and self-storage facilities.

Gosnell said he expects GNY to see strong sales in Northern Virginia, leveraging its established presence in the Washington, D.C., and Maryland markets. Gosnell’s territory includes those jurisdictions, as well as Delaware.

Bill Igoe, who most recently worked for Hartford Financial Services, will be developing new agency affiliations in Virginia. Igoe will work out of an office located in Leesburg, Va.

Gosnell said he anticipates between 30 and 40 brokers will eventually represent the company in Virginia, “although no number has been set.”

This story originally appeared in the February 2010 print edition of Insurance & Financial Advisor.