Insurance firm appoints legal counsel

SARASOTA — SUNZ Insurance, which specializes in underwriting worker's compensation insurance, named Brian Fischer staff legal counsel.

Fischer has practiced worker's comp law for more than 27 years, according to a release. For the last decade he's represented professional employer organizations and other businesses in private practice, where he handled large deductible and worker's comp programs. Fischer has handled arbitration proceedings in both state and federal court and before the National Council on Compensation Insurance, the Florida Workers Compensation Appeals Board and the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.

“We are very pleased to have found such an experienced and reputable veteran for our in-house legal counsel,” SUNZ Chief Operations Officer Glen Distefano says in the release. “Brian's claims and premium expertise in the area of workers' compensation, particularly in the professional employer organization and staffing industries is a tremendous addition to SUNZ and will help us enhance our quality assurance, operations and the future growth of our company.”

Sarasota-based SUNZ writes insurance in 15 states. The list includes Florida, Texas and North Carolina.