NU Online News Service, Feb. 16, 8:44 a.m.EST

Liberty Mutual Insurance says it promoted Oscar Huertato president of Liberty Compañía deSeguros Generales S.A. in Chile, with oversight of all aspects ofthe insurer's operations in this emerging market.

“With 17 million people and a growing middle class, there istremendous opportunity for insurers in Chile to expand their marketshare,” says Victor Meintjes, executive vice president and chiefoperating officer of Liberty Mutual Insurance Latin America.“Oscar's experience makes him uniquely qualified to lead ouroperations in Chile and I am confident that under his leadership wewill continue the successful growth rate we have experienced overthe past seven years.”

Since entering the Chilean insurance market in 2004, LibertySeguros Chile has become the fourth largest auto insurer and secondlargest provider of fire and earthquake coverage through a compoundannual growth rate of 14 percent.

Prior to joining Liberty Seguros Chile, Huerta was amanaging director at EMB Iberia and was then named salespractice leader for property and casualty after EMB's acquisitionby Towers Watson.

Over his career, Huerta has held a variety of seniormanagement positions within Liberty Seguros Spain includingactuarial director and bank-assurance business director. Hewas also part of the start-up team for Liberty Direct, LibertyMutual's company in Poland, and has been involved in other projectsthroughout Liberty International to assess operational capabilitiesand advise on best practices.

Huerta holds a bachelor's degree in economics and businesssciences from Universidad Complutense de Madrid and is a charteredactuary and fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of Spain with 20years' experience in the insurance industry.

Liberty Seguros Chile, a part of Liberty Mutual's InternationalStrategic Business Unit (SBU), provides auto and propertyinsurance for individuals and small to mid-size businesses through387 employees in 15 branches throughout the country.

SBU reported net written premium of $7.2 billion in 2010,which constituted 24.6 percent of Liberty Mutual's $29.19billion in net written premium for the year ended December 31,2010.