President and Chief Executive Officer of Preferred Mutual Insurance Company Benedikt Sander has been elected Second Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the New York Insurance Association (NYIA). (Submitted photo)

ALBANY - R. Benedikt Sander, President and Chief Executive Officer of Preferred Mutual Insurance Company, has been elected Second Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the New York Insurance Association (NYIA) for a term ending December 31, 2026.

The New York Insurance Association is a state trade association that has represented the property and casualty insurance industry for more than 140 years. Preferred Mutual has been a member of NYIA since 1970, and Sander has been actively involved with the association since joining the company in 2019.

“I’m honored to serve as Second Vice Chair of the New York Insurance Association and to continue supporting the important work the organization does on behalf of New York’s property and casualty insurance industry,” said Benedikt Sander, President and Chief Executive Officer of Preferred Mutual Insurance Company. “NYIA plays a vital role in bringing insurers together around shared priorities, and I look forward to contributing to those efforts.”

Sander was appointed President and CEO of Preferred Mutual in 2022. He previously served as Executive Vice President of Insurance Operations, where he was responsible for shaping the company’s underwriting strategy and sales and distribution approach.

Prior to joining Preferred Mutual, Sander held executive leadership roles with national insurance carriers, gaining experience across strategy, agency management, product management, and underwriting. He brings more than 20 years of industry and consulting experience to his role.

Sander holds a Master of Philosophy in Economic Theory from the University of Cambridge and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business. He also holds multiple insurance designations, including Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Accredited Adviser in Insurance (AAI), Associate in Commercial Underwriting (AU), Associate in Personal Insurance (API), and Associate in Claims (AIC).

Preferred Mutual Insurance Company provides property and casualty insurance coverage to individual and business customers through a network of independent agents located throughout New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. In business since 1896, Preferred Mutual is headquartered in New Berlin, New York. The company has maintained a Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of ‘A’ (Excellent) with a ‘Stable’ outlook by AM Best for 23 consecutive years and was recognized as a Top Workplaces USA award recipient in 2024 and 2025. Learn more at www.preferredmutual.com.

The New York Insurance Association (NYIA) is a state trade association that has represented the property and casualty insurance industry for more than 140 years.

- Preferred Mutual Insurance Company