Country Financial

Country Financial has already seen 1,000 property and auto claims from this week's back-to-back severe wind and tornado events. They expect more in the coming days as residents sort through their homes.

Bloomington-based Country Financial, one of McLean County’s largest employers, announced the leadership changes on Wednesday morning. CEO Jim Jacobs plans to retire on June 30 after 21 years with the company.

The Illinois legislature has passed rate-increase regulations for both home and auto insurance, though critics argue the changes fail to address the root cause of rate increases and could backfire by raising costs and reducing options for coverage.

So far, State Farm and Country Financial have fielded a combined 656 insurance claims in McLean County from the April 17 storms and tornadoes.

The Illinois House has passed a bill requiring insurance companies get approval for rate increases and give a 60-day notice to customers if they increase rates more than 10%. Insurance companies said this could raise rates in the long term and does not address the real cause of the rate increases.

Bloomington state Rep. Sharon Chung has introduced a insurance bill that invites conversation and compromise between insurance companies and the state.

Bloomington-Normal leaders are calling for better dialogue between lawmakers, Gov. JB Pritzker, and insurance companies such as Bloomington-based State Farm.

In an unprecedented move, former Illinois Farm Bureau President Brian Duncan has declined to resign from his seat as chair of the Country Mutual Insurance board. A legal dispute involving Country's Farm Bureau ties helped lead to Duncan's ouster.

Country Financial is one of Bloomington-Normal's largest and longest operating businesses. What you may not know is Country Financial did not start in Bloomington.

The Country Financial Trail is a mile-long hiking and biking path that includes bird-watching blinds, a gazebo, an outdoor classroom, and an overlook for Birky Pond.