Kingstone Appoints Sylvie Widjaja to Lead California Business
Rhea-AI Summary
Kingstone (Nasdaq: KINS) appointed Sylvie Widjaja as Vice President, California Business Leader for KINS Insurance Agency, its Excess and Surplus Lines Broker subsidiary. She will lead Kingstone’s entry into the California homeowners market on an excess and surplus lines basis and report to CEO Meryl Golden.
Widjaja brings over 20 years of California-focused experience across distribution, underwriting, product, and claims, including leadership roles at Mercury Insurance Group, Travelers, and Progressive.
Positive
- Experienced California insurance executive appointed to lead state operations
- Supports entry into California homeowners market on an excess and surplus lines basis
- Leadership background at Mercury, Travelers, and Progressive adds market expertise
Negative
- None.
News Market Reaction – KINS
In the Jun 22 session, KINS gained 3.14%, reflecting a moderate positive market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | 24h Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 26 | Annual meeting date | Neutral | +1.3% | Set virtual 2026 annual meeting date and record date for voting. |
| May 19 | Share repurchase | Positive | +0.3% | Authorized buyback of up to 1,000,000 shares over two years. |
| May 7 | Q1 2026 earnings | Neutral | -4.0% | Reported Q1 results with growth, catastrophe losses, and reaffirmed 2026 guidance. |
| Apr 27 | Quarterly dividend | Positive | +0.2% | Declared $0.05 per‑share quarterly dividend with May 26 payment date. |
| Apr 20 | CEO contract extension | Positive | -7.4% | Extended CEO agreement to 2029 amid record profitability and growth targets. |
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
Recent KINS news has generally prompted modest, aligned moves, with one sharper divergence on CEO contract news.
Key Terms
excess and surplus lines regulatory
independent agency channel financial
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
KINGSTON, N.Y., June 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kingstone Companies, Inc. (Nasdaq: KINS) (“Kingstone” or the “Company”), a regional property and casualty insurance holding company, today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, KINS Insurance Agency, an Excess and Surplus Lines Broker, has appointed Sylvie Widjaja as Vice President, California Business Leader. Ms. Widjaja, a California insurance executive with more than two decades of experience spanning distribution, underwriting, product, and claims, will lead Kingstone’s California operations as the Company enters the state’s homeowners market on an excess and surplus lines basis. She will report to Meryl Golden, President and Chief Executive Officer.
“California represents a meaningful opportunity, and success will depend on strong local market expertise, deep agent relationships, and disciplined execution,” said Meryl Golden, President and Chief Executive Officer of Kingstone. “Sylvie brings a proven track record of leading in the California market through one of its most challenging periods, along with the local insight, operating rigor, and commitment to the independent agency channel needed to navigate its complexity. She is the right leader to establish a profitable California business for Kingstone over the long term.”
“Kingstone’s clear, disciplined strategy and genuine focus on supporting independent agents are what drew me to this role,” said Ms. Widjaja. “As a California resident, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges agents and homeowners are facing as capacity shifted across the market. Kingstone is well positioned to deliver effective solutions that enable agents to continue serving homeowners across California. I look forward to introducing Kingstone to the broader independent agent community and partnering closely to build a sustainable platform for growth.”
Ms. Widjaja joins Kingstone from Mercury Insurance Group, one of California’s largest personal lines insurers, where she had extensive experience leading distribution and market strategy in complex and evolving environments across both personal and commercial lines, including deep expertise in the California market. Her background also includes leadership roles at Travelers and Progressive, in underwriting and claims. She holds a B.A. from California State University, Fullerton.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, may be forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors. For more details on factors that could affect expectations, see Part I, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025.
Kingstone undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
About Kingstone Companies, Inc.
Kingstone is a regional property and casualty insurance holding company whose principal operating subsidiaries write business through retail and wholesale agents and brokers. Kingstone delivers tailored homeowners insurance solutions through its sophisticated product suite, Select, supported by a scalable and efficient operating platform that enables the Company to pursue significant market opportunities and strategic expansion. Kingstone was the 11th largest writer of homeowners insurance in New York in 2025 and also writes homeowners coverage in California on a non-admitted basis.
Investor Relations Contact
Elevate IR
KINS@elevate-ir.com
720-330-2829
