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Farmers Insurance, which has called Southern California home since its founding in 1928, has announced it will move employees from its Simi Valley office to a newer, more modern facility in nearby Woodland Hills in the San Fernando Valley.

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The company announced that it will move approximately 1,200 people, or 20 percent of its Greater Los Angeles workforce, from building space it leases at 3041 Cochran Street in Simi Valley to another leased facility at 6303 Owensmouth in Woodland Hills. The Woodland Hills facility is already home to some Farmers employees and the building currently is branded 21st Century Insurance Company, but the name on the building will be changed to Farmers Insurance. (21st Century Insurance Company was acquired by Farmers Insurance in July 2009).

The move of the 1,200 employees will take place beginning in early 2011. Farmers Insurance has more than 6,000 employees and agents in the Greater Los Angeles area, making Farmers Insurance one of the largest employers in Southern California.

"Farmers Insurance has a huge footprint in Southern California and Greater Los Angeles, in particular," said David Travers, the company's Executive Vice President of Operations. "This is a significant move and it will position Farmers Insurance for even greater growth in future years."

Travers noted that Farmers Insurance employees are officed in several Southern California facilities, including the original Farmers Insurance Home Office campus at 4680 Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles; and three large facilities located along the 101 Freeway Corridor in Woodland Hills, Agoura Hills and Westlake Village. In addition to its corporate office presence in the Greater Los Angeles area, local Farmers Insurance agents maintain their own offices throughout California and across the United States.

"This move of employees from Simi Valley to our existing Woodland Hills office helps us connect the dots for the benefit of our employees, our agents and, most importantly, our customers," Travers explained. "It makes geographic sense, it makes business sense and, most importantly, it makes sense from an employee working condition perspective and from a customer service perspective."

Farmers Insurance has occupied the Simi Valley facility since 1982 and the relocation of employees to the newer, more modern Woodland Hills facility will improve working conditions for employees, said Travers.

"This move will provide a more modern work place for the 1,200 employees who will be relocating. It also will provide the space for additional future growth for Farmers Insurance in the Greater Los Angeles area," Travers continued.

"We are extremely sensitive to how our decision will impact Simi Valley and we will be working with the building owner, the local business community and city officials to find suitable tenants to fill the office space we are vacating," Travers said.

The Simi Valley and Woodland Hills facilities are about 15 miles apart and the company is planning to coordinate and assist with car pools, van pools and public transportation opportunities for those employees who will have a longer commuting distance. While some Simi Valley employees may have a slightly longer commute to Woodland Hills, others will have a shorter commute.

Farmers has leased space in the Simi Valley facility since 2005. Travers explained that Farmers Insurance is announcing its action several months in advance to give employees as much time as possible to prepare for the move to Woodland Hills.

Farmers is a trade name and may refer to Farmers Group, Inc. or the Farmers Exchanges, as the case may be. Farmers Group, Inc., a management and holding company, along with its subsidiaries, is wholly owned by the Zurich Financial Services Group. The Farmers Exchanges are three reciprocal insurers (Farmers Insurance Exchange, Fire Insurance Exchange and Truck Insurance Exchange), including their subsidiaries and affiliates, owned by their policyholders, and managed by Farmers Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information about Farmers, visit our Web site at www.farmers.com.

  Contacts:         Mark Toohey
                    805-907-2216
                    mark_toohey@farmers.com

                    Jerry Davies
                    213-400-4459
                    jerry.davies@farmers.com

                    Luis Sahagun
                    818-292-3574
                    Luis.sahagun@farmers.com

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SOURCE: Farmers Insurance