Big O Tires has selected Zurich North America Commercial as the national preferred property and casualty insurance provider for its 490-plus franchised tire store owners in 21 states and Canada.

Big O “respects and appreciates our highly specialized focus and the consistent delivery of our products and services,” says Dennis Kane, a Zurich executive vice president. “We look forward to a mutually beneficial and long-term relationship.”

The outlets can receive coverage under Zurich’s Unicover VI policy, explains Kane, noting that the carrier was the first to address the specific property-casualty insurance needs of the automotive industry. Available coverage categories include garage, garagekeepers, property, general liability, business auto, commercial umbrella and pollution liability.

Big O is one of the largest retail tire franchisors in North America, primarily operating in the Western and Midwestern states. It also distributes tires and other automotive service products to associated dealers in Western Canada. It was established in 1962 as a tire-buying cooperative whose members “banded together to compete against tire manufacturers’ company stores and big retail chains.” Since 1996, the company has been a subsidiary of TBC Corp., which is among the biggest U.S. marketers of replacement tires through a multi-channel strategy. TBC is owned by Japan’s Sumitomo Corp. of America

Zurich, founded in 1872, is headquartered in Switzerland.

For more information, visit www.bigotires.com and www.zurichna.com.