Pros
I have worked with Norcal for many years in the San Francisco Bay Area. In my experience, the company is unique in its commitment to ethical practice of insurance. This is not for everyone. If you are more comfortable being a mindless cog at an insurance money-mill, then this company is not for you. The original California company thrived because of its culture of integrity. The company has been so successful that it has been purchasing flagging insurers across the country. Some of the purchased companies encouraged an amoral culture that equates professionalism with moral bankruptcy. A minority of the existing staff in the purchased companies were too far gone to change their ways. The negative reviews on this site vividly illustrate the reaction of these people. (Hence, the references to the company being 'behind the times' or 'run by small town folks who think equally small.') With all respect to these people, they can go work at AIG or Chubb, where their 'modern' view of insurance as organized fraud will be well rewarded.
Kontras
The company has been too slow to identify and jettison disgruntled employees who cannot square their idea of professionalism with morality.