Terra is the nation's second oldest professional liability insurer, and was the first to specialize in providing professional liability coverage to geoprofessional and environmental engineering firms. Conservatively run and well capitalized, Terra has become one of the United States’ strongest and most reliable insurers of design professionals; specifically, geotechnical, civil, and environmental engineers.
Formed in 1968 as a Bermuda-based insurance company, Terra reorganized in 1988 as a U.S. based risk retention group (RRG) — an innovative type of insurance company enabled by the Federal Liability Risk Retention Act of 1986.
As an RRG, Terra is owned exclusively by its policyholders — meaning that its policyholders invest their premium dollars in Terra instead of pouring their premiums down the “insurance black hole.” This unique framework enables Terra to provide personalized customer service to its policyholder base while simultaneously lowering their net cost of insurance over time.
This structure defines our organization, shapes our operating policy, and can be summed up in a word: partnership.
Terra invests heavily in its insureds — spending more per capita than any other PL carrier on the professional development and technical competence of its policyholders’ employees. The results are reduction of risk, fewer claims, and long-term growth — all of which translate into enhanced profitability for its insureds.
While offering innovative products and unique customer services including contract review and claim management, Terra further distinguishes itself from other insurance carriers in its unwavering support of peer review and professional education of its insureds — in particular, its investment in programs developed by itself and The Geoprofessional Business Association.
Additionally, Terra's senior management regularly visits its insureds to discuss common concerns and maintains the open communication that is a hallmark of our trust-based client relationships. This enables Terra to better respond to our insureds’ emerging needs, and to develop new products and services for entering new markets and gaining a larger share of existing ones.
At the same time we work to maintain a profitable and enduring organization, we are also committed to helping our policyholders meet and exceed their own business goals. And we are always looking to partner — and share our success — with firms as concerned as we are about managing risk and preventing loss.