Seeing the same issues as you with certain carriers especially personal lines. But have new commercial carriers stepping in. On pace to have a very good commercial year. Things have definitely been harder as of late but don't have any plans to jump ship.
My wife loves her Ascent. She test drove all the different brands with comparable size SUVs and Subaru was an easy choice for her. Haven't had it long enough to truly comment on reliability but safety was a huge priority for her (two kids under 3) and Subaru won there too.
Just over 2 hours for us. We are there 2-3 times a month in the summer and I am there as much as possible during any/every hunting season. The drive is no big deal, even with 2 young kids.