# Guard Insurance Group

Guard Insurance Group is an Insurance based in Wilkes-Barre, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Insurance
- **Headquarters:** Wilkes-Barre, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** 39 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre, PA, United States
- **Founded:** 1983
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** www.guard.com
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkshire-hathaway-guard

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies, rated A+ Superior by AM Best, provides commercial property and casualty insurance products including excess and surplus.

## Sectors

- Insurance

## People

- Sy Foguel — CEO and President
- Y. Judd Shoval — Co-founder
- Susan W. Shoval — Co-founder

## Questions

### How did Guard Insurance Group become part of Berkshire Hathaway?

Berkshire Hathaway's National Indemnity Company acquired Guard Insurance Group in October 2012 from Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings for approximately $220 million (per the Associated Press, 2012). The deal was facilitated by Ajit Jain, who oversaw Berkshire's reinsurance operations and had established a relationship with Guard's management through reinsurance contracts over the prior decade. Sy Foguel, Guard's CEO, continued running the company post-acquisition under the Berkshire umbrella.

### What lines of commercial insurance does Guard write?

Guard writes workers' compensation, commercial auto, businessowners' policies (BOP), and umbrella coverage primarily for micro and small commercial enterprises. The company focuses on main-street businesses distributed through independent insurance agents rather than direct-to-consumer channels. Its geographic concentration has historically been the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest, with ongoing state-by-state expansion.

### Who runs Guard Insurance Group?

Sy Foguel serves as CEO and President of Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies. The firm was co-founded by Y. Judd Shoval and Susan W. Shoval, members of a Wilkes-Barre family that built the original workers' compensation carrier. Foguel has led the company through its acquisition by Berkshire Hathaway and subsequent geographic and product expansion.

### How does Guard fit within Berkshire Hathaway's broader insurance operations?

Guard occupies a distinct niche within Berkshire's insurance cluster — it is the primary vehicle for small commercial lines distributed through independent agents. Unlike GEICO's direct-to-consumer model or General Re's reinsurance focus, Guard maintains a traditional agency distribution model for micro and small business coverage. This provides Berkshire with exposure to a market segment where localized underwriting knowledge and agent relationships create barriers to entry for digital-native competitors.

### Does Guard Insurance Group manage a separate investment portfolio?

As a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary, Guard's insurance float — the premiums collected before claims are paid — is consolidated into Berkshire's overall investment portfolio managed by Warren Buffett and his investment team. Guard does not independently manage a disclosed external investment allocation. The float generated by Guard's underwriting contributes to the capital base that Berkshire deploys across equities, fixed income, and private transactions.

## Related profiles

- [Guaranty Bank & Trust](https://altss.com/profile/guaranty-bank-trust)
- [Guardian Asset Advisors](https://altss.com/profile/guardian-asset-advisors)

---

Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/guard-insurance-group

Maintained by Altss — https://altss.com — methodology: https://altss.com/methodology