I have been a captive agent for two of the largest insurance companies
in the nation, helped build and run an online independent agency for
a large software company and have worked for the largest insurance
brokerage in the world. This experience has given me a first hand
experience with the failings of those business models and it all boils
down to personal relationships. I have learned that there is no substitute
for personalized service, a choice of many insurance companies and
an agent who cares for you and your family. My success is based on
being the local independent insurance agent, insurance consultant,
neighbor, and in most cases a friend to all of my clients.
I have been in and around the insurance industry for over 20 years.
As the son of an insurance agent I spent most of my teenage years
working in my father’s agency servicing customers, rating
policies and doing general agency management duties. After college,
I was appointed as an agent and expanded my duties within the agency
to include multi-line Auto, Home and Commercial insurance sales.
I later started my own agency as a captive agent for one of the
largest auto and home insurance companies in the country. After
six years of only having one company to offer to my clients I realized
that I was serving the company’s needs and not my client’s
needs. The only way to serve my clients would be as an independent
insurance agent where I had access to multiple insurance companies
but did not work for those companies directly.
I was later offered an opportunity to work for a software company
in an effort to build an online independent insurance agency. When
I started, the company had two non-standard auto companies quoting
online. After six months my team and I had the company rating over
30 insurance carriers online. The company might have been successful
eventually but this time I realized that our customers were just
numbers and I did not know any of them. We sold the company and
technology to the world's largest insurance brokerage where it was
used to better service the needs of that brokerage's customers.
Theirs was a good example of bigger not necessarily meaning better.
Although it was a company based on the model of giving customers
a choice they lacked the ability to have personal relationships
with their customers.
I now own my own independent agency. I have the advantage of access
to insurance companies that most independent agents never get and
and a wealth of knowledge about technology. In short, I have found
the best of both worlds. When doing business with our agency, you
will be dealing with a high tech company, while still having a locally
owned agency looking out for your best interest.
I not only guaranty your satisfaction but I guaranty our agency
will always look out for YOUR best interest when it comes to insurance
and you will always be treated like family when dealing with us.
Sincerely,
Scott Reed
Reed Insurance Agency
