Selective Insurance Reviews

Former Employee – worked at Selective Insurance full-time for more than a year

Pros – good benefits, good working hours

Cons – poor management, lots of red tape to get things done

Advice to Senior Management – n/a

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Selective Insurance full-time for more than 7 years

Pros – the team members work really hard, some really smart and delightful folks to work with

Cons – management had no real appreciation for what it took to deliver projects, there is no respect for peoples lives or family-time. Developers working 70+ hours a week under constant threat of outsourcing-"be lucky-you-have-a-job-we-can-get-2-of-you-in-india" was the view management has of employees. Customers losing ground

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Selective Insurance full-time for more than 10 years

Pros – too much work, poor organization, poor management skills, too much stress, sometime you will need to work in the weekend.

Cons – flexible hours, free parking, bonus,

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at Selective Insurance full-time for more than a year

Pros – Working with good people.
Benefits are great compared to other similar companies

Cons – Too much work for too few people
Business is driven too much by IT not the business (i.e. IT V.P.'s routinely tell business units what to do)
No growth potential.
Very top heavy on security which makes it almost impossible to do anything.
Senior Management doesn't listen, instead they cut you off and say "I Get It".

Advice to Senior Management – Listen to your employees, we do know what we are doing.
Stop letting IT drive, instead tell IT what you must have and not accept a solution that doesn't meet your needs.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Former Employee – worked at Selective Insurance full-time for less than a year

Pros – Great people, really fun environment. Hard work typically recognized and rewarded.

Cons – Working off Johnston Rd. and I-485, that place was a nightmare.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Selective Insurance as an intern for less than a year

Pros – Provided necessary assistance.
gave proper time to execute work given.
Pay was good.
The projects were helpful in enhancing any knowledge previously held .
There was always a mentor given who was very helpful and precise in their work.
Interns were allowed to partake in meetings( which regarded their project) with the head of the department, to get the full experience

Cons – Sometimes work was unavailable leaving idle time (considering time was almost 8 hours a day)

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Former Employee – worked at Selective Insurance

Pros – fair compensation
competent management
able to balance work and life

Cons – location
favoritism
poor recognition structure
small to none bonus

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Selective Insurance

Pros – Excellent benefits, time off, bonuses and pay. A large, yet strangely designed building with a cafeteria, gym (at least when I was there), massage therapy and more. For people living in Northern New Jersey, a "reverse" commute. A large treasure chest of money behind the company. Financially sound. The company has enjoyed slow but steady growth for over 80 years. Very conservative in its investments, which has kept it financially well for so long.

The company also has a strong, dedicated agent network that keeps it well fed. They treat their agents well -- and will do almost anything for them.

Cons – In the middle of nowhere. You're inside, all day, no escape. The culture is odd -- it's a real "wannabe" big company, but very hickish in its thinking. Plus, I was part of a team that treated vendors very, very poorly. They promised vendors lots of work, but in reality, Selective is stingy with budgets. So, they get vendors to do considerable amounts of work for free or little money, with no intention of giving them any more, and thereby misleading them. To me, it was unethical.

The place is also extremely inefficient. LOADS of meetings -- sometimes for days at a time -- but very little achieved. Yet, they want to meet certain goals. Weird. A lot of wasted time that becomes quite frustrating.

The atmosphere is also politically very charged. You have to watch who you're friends with.

Outside of their agents and Sussex County, the company is vitually unknown... which will probably mean trouble for it in the future. They're up against household name companies like Alstate, Progressive, and others.

Advice to Senior Management – Please, please... hire an efficiency expert! You have thousands of hours yearly going out the window on meetings, and meetings about meetings. Also, do a search and hire some people OUTSIDE the insurance industry -- the fresh blood with bring fresh perspectives. Also, spend some money on advertising. When I worked there, I had to constantly explain who I worked for to everyone.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Selective Insurance

Pros – Flexible and great co-workers to work with

Cons – Little opportunities for career development

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Selective Insurance

Pros – Benefits, 401k and bonus. Local.

Cons – Top heavy management sitting in offices with nothing to do but write reports and no communication with the "little people". Lack of communication between supervisor and employee. Promotions are given to unqualified, no education and inexperience people. Temporary employees are treated better than employees and also hired with better position than employees who have been there for many years. Human resources will disclose information given confidentiality and their behavior unethical.

Advice to Senior Management – Cut down on top heavy management, remember the backbone of the company "claims". Before employees are promotion, have mangement review their qualifications. Hire an outside firm to review Human Resources department because some HR managers are unethical. Lastly, too many friends of friends enter into decisions for the company in hiring. "DRESS CODE" too many dress unprofessional. Two reviews a year for supervisors, as they need to remember they should be accountable also.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend