10 Farmers Insurance underwriting leaders
Chief Underwriting Officer - Personal Insurance, VP, Head of Commercial Center Underwriting and Director of Commercial Underwriting are among the current titles held by these Farmers Insurance underwriting leaders, who also lead personal lines and business underwriting. A reader can learn how underwriting leaders work at Farmers Insurance from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
Andrew Smidt
LinkedInExperience: Director Personal Lines Underwriting · Farmers Insurance Group of Companies
Andrew Smidt has been Director Personal Lines Underwriting at Farmers Insurance Group of Companies since May 2017, based in Los Angeles, California. Andrew Smidt was an Underwriting Manager at Farmers Insurance from 1991 to 2017, according to the profile, which lists these two Farmers roles and no other employers.
Dan Willmer
LinkedInExperience: Head of H.O. Underwriting & Loss Control · Farmers Insurance
Dan Willmer has been Head of H.O. Underwriting & Loss Control at Farmers Insurance since January 2019, and the profile headline reads Head of Home Office Underwriting, Loss Control & Program Business. Dan Willmer was Director, Middle Market Business Development at Nationwide from 2016 to 2018 and Manufacturing Practice Director at Zurich North America from 2010 to 2014.
Gene Nardone
LinkedInExperience: Head of California Business Insurance Underwriting · Farmers Insurance
Gene Nardone has been Head of California Business Insurance Underwriting at Farmers Insurance since November 2012, based in Santa Clarita, California. The profile headline gives the same title at Farmers Insurance Group of Companies, and this Farmers role is the only work row the profile lists in its experience section.
Hillary Cruser
LinkedInExperience: Director of Commercial Underwriting · Farmers Insurance
Hillary Cruser has been Director of Commercial Underwriting at Farmers Insurance since March 2020, and the profile headline reads Director of Strategic Commercial Accounts. Hillary Cruser was Commercial Underwriting Manager at Farmers Insurance from 2017 to 2020 and Underwriting Director at Travelers from 2015 to 2016.
Jeff Clifton
LinkedInExperience: Director Of Underwriting - Business Insurance · Farmers Insurance
Jeff Clifton has been Director Of Underwriting - Business Insurance at Farmers Insurance since February 2020, based in Austin, Texas. Jeff Clifton was Senior Commercial Underwriting Team Manager - Middle Market at Farmers Insurance from 2017 to 2020, a Commercial Underwriting Team Manager at Farmers Insurance from 2013 to 2017 and a Commercial Underwriting Team Manager at Foremost Insurance from 2012 to 2013.
Jessica Zaugg
LinkedInExperience: Chief Underwriting and Operations Officer for Business Insurance · Farmers Insurance
Jessica Zaugg has been Chief Underwriting and Operations Officer for Business Insurance at Farmers Insurance since June 2025. Jessica Zaugg was VP, CL Underwriting, Automation and Service Solutions at Nationwide from 2022 to 2025 and AVP Small Commercial Underwriting at Nationwide Insurance from 2018 to 2022, and holds the CPCU designation.
John Radliff
LinkedInExperience: Personal Lines Underwriting Director · Farmers Insurance
John Radliff has been Personal Lines Underwriting Director at Farmers Insurance since November 2020, and the profile headline reads Consumer Direct - Director of Product Sales - Home. John Radliff was Account Underwriting Manager at Farmers Insurance from 2018 to 2020 and Underwriting Specialist there from 2015 to 2018.
Joseph Meisinger
LinkedInExperience: Chief Underwriting Officer - Personal Insurance · Farmers Insurance
Joseph Meisinger has been Chief Underwriting Officer - Personal Insurance at Farmers Insurance since November 2023, and the profile says the role leads the National Product organization, including auto, property, underwriting, coverage, forms and telematics. Joseph Meisinger was Chief Underwriting Officer & Head of National Products at Travelers from 2019 to 2023.
Rick Gonzalez
LinkedInExperience: Director of Commercial Underwriting · Farmers Insurance
Rick Gonzalez has been Director of Commercial Underwriting at Farmers Insurance since March 2020, based in Simi Valley, California, and the profile also lists a Middle Market Commercial Underwriting Manager role there starting in 2005. Rick Gonzalez was Division Marketing Manager at Farmers Insurance from 1999 to 2005.
Seth Solomon
LinkedInExperience: VP, Head of Commercial Center Underwriting · Farmers Insurance
Seth Solomon has been VP, Head of Commercial Center Underwriting at Farmers Insurance since April 2022, and the profile describes leading a group of consultative middle market professionals focused on business development. Seth Solomon was Vice President of Underwriting at CopperPoint Insurance Companies from 2019 to 2022 and Director - Middle Market Commercial Underwriting at Nationwide from 2015 to 2018.
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's line, such as personal auto and home, commercial middle market, business insurance in a single state or home office underwriting and loss control, to the decision you face. Check whether the person's other listed roles were at Farmers or at another carrier, since the two give different views of the work.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you focus on first when you took on your underwriting role at Farmers Insurance?
- 02How do you decide when an underwriting guideline should change and when the book needs a pricing fix instead?
- 03What has your own work taught you about balancing growth targets with underwriting discipline in a line you lead?
Reaching Farmers Insurance underwriting leaders
How can I contact one of these Farmers Insurance underwriting leaders?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 2 companies: Farmers Insurance Group of Companies and Farmers Insurance, based on profile data retrieved on October 27, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach Farmers Insurance underwriting leaders?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. The offer is what the person receives, and Instant Expert's fee is added on top, so a $100 offer costs you $125. The fee is 20% of what you pay. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
What if they don't reply?
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About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.