Helping people avoid loss is more important than profit

Red River Mutual has set out to emulate the “modern mutual” by giving back to the community through charitable and loss prevention initiatives.

Located in Altona, Man., population about 3,800, Red River Mutual has a history of lending a hand. The company itself was born in 1875 out of the need to help the community. The Red River Valley Mutual Insurance Company was originally formed to protect the interests of local people who had recently immigrate.

The new company allowed neighbour to support neighbour in the event of loss.

In 2010 the insurer went through a re-branding, which included redefining itself as a modern mutual. Also, the company is now known simply as Red River Mutual and sports a new logo. Chad Friesen, VP of sales
and marketing, says Red River Mutual is on the move.

“Our mission is greater than just profits,” Friesen says. “Our goal is to help people avoid loss in the first place, following the notion that the best policy for to Western Canada. Those newcomers had little access to fire protection. customer and company is the one that is
never used.”

The company is owned by more than 65,000 policyholders across Manitoba and Saskatchewan. It employs 75 and will post a gross written annual premium for 2011 of more than $70 million. When it comes to charitable efforts, Red River Mutual invests a higher percentage of revenue to community support and loss prevention education than most other companies.

The mutual recently became the major sponsor of the Manitoba FireFighters’ Burn Fund, which is known for its charitable works in hospitals and burn centres. It also supports loss prevention education throughout the province. “We support the Fund because of the close alignment of each organization’s goals,” Friesen says. “Much like our company, the Burn Fund supports those who have experienced loss, but they also invest in keeping families safe from fire in the first place. Our partnership gives back to the community and benefits both organizations by sharing the common message of fire prevention.”

In 2010 the company partnered with the Burn Fund to build and distribute fire safety trailers throughout Manitoba. Each safety trailer will be distributed to a fire department or a mutual aid district to be used as a loss prevention educational tool. The program was initiated in Manitoba but will soon expand to Saskatchewan.

The trailers cost about $50,000 apiece, and Red River Mutual is contributing about $600,000 over the next four years. The first of 15 units for Manitoba was unveiled by Red River Mutual’s president and CEO Brian Esau at the Manitoba Association of Fire Chiefs conference in Brandon in June. Esau pledged the company’s continued support for the safety trailer program, saying it was proud to be backing the education initiative of
firefighters. He said the trailers will be used at schools and festivals by local firefighters to teach children about the dangers of fire and what to do in case of a fire. There are two interactive scenarios demonstrated in the 31-footlong trailers – fire prevention in kitchens and in bedrooms.

The trailers are equipped with smoke simulators, heat doors and large TVs to provide realistic and interactive training. Firefighters who’ve received trailers so far are The financial “give” from Red River Mutual, he added, is only the beginning. “We try to incorporate our staff in charitable efforts whenever possible,” Esau says. “The company contributes dollars and employees contribute time and effort.

We recently sponsored a Habitat for Humanity home. In addition to the financial investment, we had various staff and brokers onsite for a week working on the home. And in February 2011 we were a major sponsor of the

Manitoba Scotties Tournament of Hearts, a popular curling event. Again, Red River Mutual staff stepped up to volunteer. It’s this partnership between company and employees that makes our efforts really
successful.” Friesen says the company is currently working on more innovative ways of driving dollars back into all of the communities it serves through its partnerships with local insurance brokers. “Supported by a fantastic group of community-oriented staff and brokers,” Friesen says, “we’re determined to give back in some way to every community we serve.” IW

Click Here to download – Insurance West – Helping Hands 2011 Red River Mutual Article PDF

Construction began in 2009 on the $1.5 million project which is located on the site of the community’s former Bethel Hospital. The park features walking paths, floral beds, history story boards, cairns, and a replica of the famous Bethel Fountain. Majority of the parks funding has come from private donations; approximately 200 donors have brought them within $80,000 of their goal.

Red River Mutual emulates the “Modern Mutual” by investing a portion of company profits back into the community through loss prevention education and through the support of worthy community projects.

Through MEDA, faith-oriented business owners, executives and leaders are able to integrate their life values with business in practical ways to help the underprivileged. They are committed to using their faith and abilities in their businesses, communities, and around the world. To learn more about MEDA please visit www.meda.org

Red River Mutual emulates the “Modern Mutual” by investing a portion of company profits back into the community through loss prevention education and through the support of worthy community projects.

Red River Mutual was proud to make a financial contribution towards the purchase of a Handivan. A Handivan is a special transit service for people that cannot use regular transit due to mobility impairments.

Red River Mutual emulates the “Modern Mutual” by investing a portion of company profits back into the community through loss prevention education and through the support of worthy community projects.

On Friday, June 10, 2011 the first of 20 fire safety trailers was unveiled at the Manitoba Association of Fire Chiefs conference in Brandon, Manitoba.

Over the next 4 years Red River Mutual will be sponsoring the Manitoba Firefighters’ Burn Fund – Fire Safety Trailer Program. This program will see at least 20 Fire Safety Trailers, valued at $50,000 each, deployed throughout the province. The trailers will be provided to mutual aid districts, who will work together under the direction of the Office of the Fire Commission to provide interactive fire safety training, emergency-response service and education to young people.

“We are very proud to support the Manitoba Firefighters’ Burn Fund and fire-prevention education throughout Manitoba,” said Brian Esau, president and CEO of Red River Mutual. “Our company is committed to protecting people from loss and we’re excited about helping to get these prevention trailers into the community teaching fire prevention at schools, festivals and other events.”

Speaker Brian Esau, President and CEO, Red River Mutual, standing behind Chris Jones, Fire Commissioner, Drew Caldwell, MLA, Brandon East, and Gary Bell, President of the Manitoba Association of Fire Chief

The trailers target elementary school-aged children and are designed to look just like a house. Children learn about fire safety through the use of props like smoke machines and heated doors that simulate a real fire in a home. The trailers will also have a mock kitchen and bedroom with the ability to simulate a fire in each of those settings. They also offer:

• accessibility for students with disabilities,
• a working bedroom window to simulate an escape route,
• an instruction area for children to listen to a safety presentation,
• a flat-screen TV visible from outside the trailer that can show fire-prevention messages to waiting students, and
• a self-contained control room for the instructor to manipulate the props.

For more information about Red River Mutual’s involvement in the Fire Safety Trailer Program, please contact Dana Oftedal, Red River Mutual, 1-800-370-2888 or email, doftedal@redrivermutual.com.

Exterior of Fire Safety Trailer. Speaker Drew Caldwell, MLA, Brandon East, standing behind Chris Jones, Fire Commissioner, Gary Bell, President of the Manitoba Association of Fire Chiefs, and Brian Esau, President and CEO, Red River Mutual.

150 Grade 5 students from local area schools attended full day event. There were 11 information booths covering a variety of safety-related topics. Red River Mutual sponsored a booth with the Altona Fire Department. The booth featured fire safety discussions included safe cooking, calling 911, checking for safe exit routes, fire escape plan and family meeting place.

The Altona & Area Family Resource Centre is run by a volunteer board which is dedicated particularly to providing programming for young children and their families around the themes of positive parenting, physical heath and well-being, learning and literacy and empowering families.

The donation went towards enhancing the space used for drop-in programs, which will allow the accommodation of more participants in the years to come. Over 1000 children and 600 parents have used the weekly drop-in programs in the last year.