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Kingstone Companies
Kingstone Companies, Inc. is the parent of Kingstone Insurance Company, Inc. (“KICO”). Founded in 1886, with its headquarters in Kingston, New York, KICO is a...
Kingstone Companies
Kingstone Companies, Inc. is the parent of Kingstone Insurance Company, Inc. (“KICO”). Founded in 1886, with its headquarters in Kingston, New York, KICO is a leading regional provider of insurance products for small and mid-sized businesses as well as for individuals. KICO distributes its products exclusively through a network of select independent producers. KICO was ranked #1 of the 81 insurers rated by the Professional Insurance Agents Association in its 2010 Company Performance Survey. In addition, Kingstone is the parent of Payments, Inc. a NYS licensed Insurance Premium Finance Company Kingstone Companies, Inc. trades under the symbol "KINS" on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange.
General information
Firm type
Insurance
Year founded
1886
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Kingston
Corporate office
Kingston, NY, United States
Principals
Meryl Golden
Chief Executive Officer
Barry Goldstein
Executive Chairman
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Why does Kingstone write homeowners insurance only in New York?
Kingstone's statutory underwriting entities are licensed almost exclusively in New York, with minor authorizations in three other states, but all material premium comes from downstate New York. The firm's agency force, rate filings, and reinsurance treaties are structured around a single geography. This is not a growth-phase limitation; it is the deliberate result of a multi-year retrenchment that saw the company shed its commercial lines business in 2021.
Is Kingstone Companies structured as a family office or insurance company?
Despite the corporate name, Kingstone Companies is a publicly traded property and casualty insurance holding company traded on Nasdaq under the ticker KINS. It is not a family office, never has been, and there is no wealth-origin story tied to a single family. The name reflects its Kingston, New York roots.
Who runs investment decisions at Kingstone?
Investment decisions fall to the internal management team under the oversight of the board, not a single CIO. Barry Goldstein, Executive Chairman, has historically been the central figure shaping strategy, while CEO Meryl Golden oversees day-to-day operations. As of its last proxy, the board's audit committee has oversight of investment policy, with external investment managers handling the majority of the $250 million-plus portfolio.
How does Kingstone source its policyholders?
Kingstone sells exclusively through independent agents, with roughly 600 appointed agents concentrated in New York City and Long Island. The firm does not sell direct-to-consumer and has not built a digital quoting platform. Agent relationships are the core distribution channel, and a key lever management uses is terminating unprofitable agency contracts — more than 100 were cut between 2020 and 2022.
What is Kingstone's exposure to catastrophe risk?
Kingstone's entire book is exposed to Northeast hurricanes and coastal storm surge, with no geographic hedge. Its reinsurance program, led by a catastrophe excess-of-loss treaty, transfers a portion of this tail risk, but the firm retains material exposure. Unlike national carriers that can offset New York storm losses with Midwest or West Coast results, Kingstone has no such diversification.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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