Ed Combs

Ed Combs is a partner of MDS and has 30 years of experience in the auto insurance industry. His emphasis is on helping auto insurance companies improve the efficiency of their marketing efforts. He is an acknowledged expert in auto product design. He led the group at Progressive in the mid-90s that introduced the first auto product that had a rate for essentially all applicants.   

His experience from entry level analyst to senior executive is across nearly all auto insurance disciplines -- marketing, rate setting, reserve setting, sales (both direct and through independent agents), advertising and general management. He also served as the General Manager of a commercial insurance business unit.
 
  • Mr. Combs specializes in the development and implementation of marketing strategy and product design. Because of his intimate familiarity with the competitive landscape he positions his recommendations within that important context.
  • During his career at Progressive Insurance and 21st Century Insurance he has filled a broad range of roles from Chief Marketing Officer at a direct insurer, to management of Product Research, to the Division Presidency of a geographic division with both agent and directly distributed products.
  • He is a former Board Member of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) and Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. 
  • Mr. Combs is also the founding principal of G Edward Combs Consulting.

Education

  • MBA Finance and Marketing, Amos Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
  • AB, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ