Kemper Corporation has created a new enterprise Distribution and Marketing organisation and made three senior appointments across its P&C claims and life insurance businesses, as the insurer continues to cut exposure in California while growing its book elsewhere.
Chris Flint has been named chief distribution and marketing officer, heading the new unit which consolidates sales and marketing resources across Kemper's businesses. He reports to President and CEO Steve McAnena. Flint had most recently served as president of Kemper Life since 2023.
Todd Williams has joined as chief claims officer, leading Kemper's P&C claims organisation and reporting to Eric Kappler, head of P&C. Williams brings more than 25 years of auto claims experience, including building and leading the claims organisation at Bristol West.
Jennifer Kopps-Wagner has been named head of Kemper Life, succeeding Flint and reporting to McAnena. She spent more than eight years as Kemper Life's general counsel and will oversee core insurance operations including administration, actuarial, product, pricing and underwriting.
McAnena said Williams's knowledge of the nonstandard auto market and proven claims leadership, alongside Kopps-Wagner's life and operating experience, position them well to advance Kemper's priorities in each business.
The three appointments extend a broader leadership rebuild at Kemper this year. McAnena became president and CEO on June 1, ending a roughly seven-month interim period following former CEO Joseph P. Lacher Jr.'s departure. Kappler was named executive vice president and president of P&C on July 30, succeeding Matthew Hunton.
The context for the new distribution organisation is Kemper's uneven performance across its personal auto book. In California, the underlying combined ratio stood at 107.3% in the second quarter of 2026, outside the company's target range, though down 1.9 points from the first quarter. Kemper is focused on restoring profitability rather than growing volume there - policies in force fell 10% sequentially in the quarter.
The picture is different elsewhere. In Florida and Texas combined, the personal auto book carried an underlying combined ratio of 95.5% in the second quarter, within target, with policies in force up 7% sequentially as the company pursued geographic diversification. The specialty commercial automobile segment grew policies in force 9.2% year on year with an underlying combined ratio of 93.7%, though its combined ratio of 101.2% reflected $17.7 million in non-catastrophe adverse prior-year reserve development.
Kemper has identified more than $60 million in cumulative run-rate savings from restructuring as of its first-quarter 2026 results.
For the 24,100 agents and brokers in Kemper's network, the creation of a dedicated distribution and marketing leadership function signals the carrier is building the infrastructure for coordinated growth outside California rather than managing a contraction. Williams's nonstandard auto background is directly relevant for agents placing difficult personal lines risk through Kemper's P&C book. Flint's move into a cross-business distribution role suggests the insurer intends a more integrated approach to agency relationships across its P&C and life platforms.
Kemper serves more than 4.4 million policies through its Kemper Auto and Kemper Life brands and reports approximately $12 billion in assets.
