History & Highlights
1978, we set out as 'Life of the South,' a regional insurer with one goal: to help people and businesses turn their ambitions into reality by managing risk. As the world evolved, so did we. We stepped into new territories – specialty insurance, motor club services, vehicle service contracts, warranty solutions, and premium financing – not just to grow, but to meet the ever-changing needs of those we serve.
At Fortegra, insurance isn’t just about policies; it’s about people. It’s about empowering our partners and policyholders to move forward with confidence, knowing they have a trusted ally by their side. With a diverse range of solutions and a firm commitment to strength and stability, we’re here to make a real difference.
Looking ahead, we’re not just following the changes in the industry; we lead them. Together with our partners, we are shaping a future where specialty insurance is more responsive, resilient, and attuned to the real needs of the people we serve. We’re reaching new heights, but our focus remains grounded: delivering meaningful results and lasting impact, every step of the way.
Built to Grow - Built to Last
Rick Kahlbaugh
President & CEO
Richard S. Kahlbaugh has served as our President & Chief Executive Officer and a director since June 2007. Prior to his current role, Mr. Kahlbaugh was our Chief Operating Officer from 2003 to 2007. He also serves as the President, Chief Executive Officer & Chairman of all our insurance company subsidiaries.
Prior to joining us in 2003, Mr. Kahlbaugh served as President & Chief Executive Officer of Volvo’s Global Insurance Group. He also served as the first General Counsel of the Walshire Assurance Group, a publicly traded insurance company, and practiced law with McNees, Wallace and Nurick. Mr. Kahlbaugh also served on the board of directors of Campus Crest Communities, Inc. from 2010 until November 2014, as its Executive Chairman from November 2014 until March 2016, and as interim Chief Executive Officer from November 2014 until February 2015.
Mr. Kahlbaugh holds a J.D. from Widener University Delaware Law School and a B.A. from the University of Delaware. Mr. Kahlbaugh was selected to serve on the Board of Directors in light of his significant knowledge of our products and markets, his experience leading Fortegra when it was previously a public company, and his ability to provide valuable insight to the Board of Directors regarding day-to-day business issues faced in his role as our Chief Executive Officer.
Executive
Leadership
Our climb to success is spearheaded by the exceptional leadership of our executive team. They bring a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and strategic acumen to the table. Led by CEO Rick Kahlbaugh, they are committed to our company's mission, values, and unwavering dedication to excellence. This group of individuals leads with integrity, creativity, and a shared passion for innovation.
EDWARD PEÑA
EVP & Chief Financial Officer
Edward Peña has served as our Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer since August 2023. Prior to joining us, he worked for Liberty Mutual Insurance from 2017 until 2023 in a number of roles, most recently as EVP & CFO, Global Retail Markets. From 2012 to 2017, Mr. Peña worked at CoAction Specialty Insurance in various financial and capital planning roles. Prior to that, from 2002 to 2012, Mr. Peña worked at J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. across various roles in investment banking, corporate finance, and strategy. Mr. Peña graduated with a B.A. from Yale University and MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.
MARK RATTNER
EVP & Chief Underwriting Officer, Ins.
Mark E. Rattner has served as our Executive Vice President & Chief Underwriting Officer, Insurance since September 2016. Prior to joining us in 2016, he previously worked for Houston International Insurance Group from January 2011 until August 2016 in a number of roles, most recently as Senior Vice President from January 2012 until August 2016, where he created the professional liability division and, prior to that, served as the Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Terrapin Capital Holdings. Mr. Rattner also was an owner and director of Rattner Mackenzie Limited from 2005 to 2008, and Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Professional Indemnity Agency, Inc., a subsidiary of HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc., from 2001 to 2005. He was President, Chief Executive Officer & Director of Professional Indemnity Agency, Inc., a subsidiary of Marshall Rattner, Inc., from 1991 until 2001.
ABBIE TAYLOR
EVP & Chief Operating Officer
Abigail “Abbie” Taylor has served as our Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer since May 2023. Previously, from 2013 to 2022, Ms. Taylor held various roles at Asurion, LLC. Most recently, she was the General Manager of their retail business segment overseeing clients as well as the Chief Operations Leader for the company’s Strategic Portfolio, which included select North and South American wireless carriers and cable providers in various countries. Ms. Taylor spent her early career at Bain & Company, PepsiCo Inc. and EY-Parthenon in strategy and finance roles. Ms. Taylor graduated with an a B.A. from Duke University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Jane Dullinger
EVP & Chief Claims Officer
Jane Dullinger joined Fortegra in 2022 as the Senior Vice President of Corporate Development. She has experience in insurance operations, transformation, and program management. Previously, Jane worked as SVP, of Operations & Transformation at QBE North America and served in numerous operations and underwriting roles at Kemper, Chubb, and Liberty Mutual. She received her MBA from the McCombs School at The University of Texas at Austin and her B.A. from Westminster College (PA).
JOHN SHORT
EVP, General Counsel, and Chief Compliance Officer
John Short joined Fortegra in 2007 as Senior Vice President and General Counsel and served in that role until 2011 when he was named Executive Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer and Governmental Affairs. Prior to joining Fortegra, he led the State regulatory and governmental affairs for Sprint Corporation and its spin-off Embarq Communications. John holds a J.D. from the College of William and Mary and a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from the University of Richmond.
Joel Vaag
EVP & Chief Actuary
Joel Vaag currently leads Fortegra’s Specialty Program actuary group. He is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society with over 25 years of actuarial experience. Mr. Vaag joined Fortegra in September 2019 after a three-year stint at Houston International Insurance Group (HIIG) where he served as the company’s Chief Actuary. Prior to HIIG, he worked as Principal and Consulting Actuary at Oliver Wyman Actuarial Consultants, Inc. and Milliman, Inc. Mr. Vaag’s experience includes a broad array of pricing, reserving, and management experience, with focus in the professional liability, auto, general liability, and workers’ compensation lines of business. He earned a B.S. in Mathematics from Northern Arizona University and an M.S. in Mathematics from the University of Arizona.
JOE LETTWEEN
Chief Innovation, Data Science, and Technology Officer
Joe Lettween joined Fortegra in November 2022 as Chief Innovation, Data Science, and Technology Officer. He previously worked at Osso Capital as Principal, Head of Data & Analytics and Vista Equity Partners as Director, Vista Intelligence Group. Joe attended the University of Minnesota – Carlson School of Management and Syracuse University.
TOM REILLY
EVP, Global Underwriting Affinity, Warranty, Embedded Programs
Tom Reilly joined Fortegra in 2024 as Executive Vice President of Global Underwriting Affinity, Warranty, and Embedded Products. Before starting at Fortegra, he worked at Aon Risk Solutions to drive strategic business development in the warranty industry. Mr Reilly also played a key role in business expansion at AIG, building their warranty division and forming partnerships with Visa and Mastercard. Prior to that, he led strategic initiatives at Sears and ACE Group, significantly growing their warranty and credit card businesses.
Sanjay Vara
EVP & Chief Underwriting Officer, Warranty
Sanjay Vara is Executive Vice President & Chief Underwriting Officer for Fortegra's warranty products. Since arriving in 2016, Mr. Vara has spearheaded the organization’s international growth by opening the company’s European subsidiary, Fortegra Europe Insurance Company Limited (FEIC Ltd.). Prior to his arrival at Fortegra, Mr. Vara headed up teams at ANV Lloyds syndicate 5820 and at AmTrust Europe. A graduate of the University of Kent, Mr. Vara's leadership has proved critical to the expansion of programs underwritten through Fortegra, both in the domestic U.S. and the international market.
Andrew Ferguson
EVP, Business Development Affinity, Warranty, Embedded Programs
Andrew Ferguson joined Fortegra in 2024. He previously led sales and strategy at Marsh International Affinity, drawing on over 20 years of industry experience spanning 52 countries, overseeing sales, placement strategy, account management, project management, and marketing. Before starting at Marsh in 2014, Andrew served as Vice President of Business Development at AmTrust, specializing in warranty and special risk divisions. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing Management from the University of Guelph.
The strength and stability you need from an insurer, the collaborative approach you want from a partner.
Strong & Stable
For over 45 years, we have helped our partners and their customers succeed in the face of uncertainty.
Vertically Integrated
We support your program at every stage, from development to underwriting and administration.
Straight-forward
When you partner with Fortegra, your goals become our goals — making communication between us straightforward and transparent as we strive together for success.
Reinsurance
To help manage risk, we offer reinsurance programs that emphasize our strength and stability.