Sponsoring fundraising activities follows from a corporate culture steeped in connecting Accident Fund Holdings Inc. companies to the communities they serve.

The events also drive employee engagement and are a part of the reason Accident Fund's operating units have gained recognition as great places to work.

“There is a strong sense of community both within the walls of the company as well as in the communities where we do business,” said Darcy Kerr, Accident Fund Holdings' vice president of human resources.

A weeklong corporatewide Caring and Sharing event, for example, raised $85,700 in 2012 by combining fun, employee generosity and company matching donations to help a long list of community charitable organizations. Activities included a paper airplane-making contest, a euchre card game tournament and ethnic foods prepared by employees and sold to fellow employees.

Community commitment, a strong benefits package, wellness programs and frequent communication from executives explain why Accident Fund units were selected among Business Insurance's Best Places to Work in Insurance.

Among the Accident Fund units selected for the honor are Lansing, Mich.-based Accident Fund Insurance Co. of America; New Berlin, Wis.-based United Heartland; and Santa Ana, Calif.-based CompWest Insurance Co.

Keeping employees informed makes them feel valued, said Mike Britt, president of Accident Fund Insurance Co. of America.

“We have quite a few all-employee meetings, and we share with them good and bad and how we are doing from a financial performance standpoint, what the strategy is, what the marketplace is doing,” Mr. Britt said. “They feel more connected to the business and not just simply punching a ticket from 9 to 5.”

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Informed and involved employees are also good for the employer, added Elizabeth Haar, president and CEO of Accident Fund Holdings.

“You need people aligned to the same strategies, which takes a lot of communications,” she said. “People who enjoy the organization they work for and are proud of it and are proud of the role they play in their community are going to be more engaged with our company and more excited and committed to providing the best customer service that we can, and they are more committed to our overall vision.”

“People have a sense of the importance of the work that they do every day, whether it be in the life of an injured worker ... or the community within which we do business,” Ms. Kerr said.