Zurich, Aon help Sysco redeploy trucks for food needs amid coronavirus

As coronavirus shelter-in-place guidelines spread across the country, the food service distributor Sysco turned to its insurance broker Aon and insurance provider Zurich for help with an urgent request.

With excess driver and truck capacity due to school and restaurant closings, Sysco wanted to gain authorization of its trucks as "for hire" so they could work with grocers and others to transport food and other supplies from warehouses to grocery stores and other essential retail outlets.

Sysco reached out to Aon's transportation team, which then reached out to Zurich for an expert in truck filings. The request was directed to Zurich Underwriting Support Manager Yvonne Rogers in Zurich’s Chicago office, who promptly assisted with more than 50 truck filings in just one day.

Sysco obtained the necessary approvals and has been moving food and other supplies to areas affected most by the pandemic. 

“Sysco is proud to help support the U.S. food supply chain during this unprecedented time in history,” Sysco Senior Director of Risk Management Jeffrey Strege said. “Zurich’s and Aon’s prompt action and diligence to completion helped us get that done.”

“It feels good to help in a small way,” said Aon Managing Director Kathy Bayard Topey, “and I'm so proud that Aon and Zurich worked together successfully for our mutual client."

Rogers said she was happy to assist with the filings.

“We are honored to lend our knowledge and experience to help our customers and brokers, especially during this challenging time,” she said. “Relationships make it possible for us to do so much more together than we can do alone.”