Chris Howard named Head of Accident & Health for Zurich in U.S.

Chris Howard has been named Zurich North America’s Head of Accident & Health (A&H) for the U.S. Commercial Insurance business unit. Howard will build on the momentum of his predecessor, Ron Grahf, who retired at the beginning of the year.

“We are excited to welcome Chris to the Zurich team,” said Paul Horgan, Head of U.S. Commercial Insurance for Zurich. “With his strong market knowledge, he will continue to drive engagement with customers, furthering our market-leading position as a top U.S. provider of accident and injury insurance, and as a top global provider of multinational A&H coverage.”

Howard, who is new to Zurich, was most recently President of the Accident and Health division of WNC Insurance Services. He also served as Senior Vice President of Consumer Solutions and Affinity Markets at Chubb. Howard previously held leadership positions at Cross Country Automotive Services, Balboa Insurance Group and the Assurant Group.

A past member of the Professional Insurance Marketing Association and the American Bankers Insurance Association, Howard holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Journalism from Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania, where he met his wife of 27 years. They have three children: one in high school, one in college and one a college graduate who has started a family — “making me a really young grandfather,” Howard said.

In his spare time, Howard enjoys golfing, surfing and visiting Napa Valley as often as possible.