Some necessities in life seem unnecessary, until they’re not — flood insurance, home warranty, renter’s insurance, life insurance, comprehensive auto insurance, etc. When disaster strikes, the necessity of that “unnecessary” thing becomes evident.
Companies like Commonwealth Insurance Center are in the business of providing that safety net people hope is there when something goes awry. As articulated on their website, Commonwealth “offers a variety of insurance solutions to help with your unique needs.”
A generalist insurance agency, Commonwealth Insurance Center serves various entities, such as hardware stores, accountants, dentists on the commercial side, contractors and ordinary folks, providing homeowners’ insurance, automobile insurance, health insurance, umbrella insurance, property and casualty insurance, etc. Basically, it covers all conceivable insurance needs. As Casey Walker, president/co-owner, says, “Our profession helps people through the worst days of their lives — home burned down, car accident, lawsuit — this industry touches almost every facet of people’s lives.”
As an insurance group, Commonwealth contracts with multiple carriers and seeks out the one offering its clients the best possible option. “What we find is the average insurance consumer has no idea what he or she is buying — this is what’s covered, this is what isn’t, this is what can be added by endorsement. Many just don’t know and the process of finding out can be fatiguing,” Walker says.
Commonwealth doesn’t simply make the match and drop the ball. It spends a lot of time reassessing and remarketing accounts as necessary. “Just because carrier A had the best option a year ago doesn’t mean it still does,” Walker says. “It always behooves the client to check every few years. We pride ourselves on customer service — sale, cycle, renewal….”
Commonwealth strives to be a company making it as easy as possible for clients to get what they need. “The average insurance industry retention is just under three years,” says Walker; “while ours is close to 10 years. Unlike other agencies, we marry individualized customer service with a lot of technology to make us more accessible.”
Rather than assuming how clients want to interact with the agency, Commonwealth asks them what they prefer — call, email, video conference, text, etc. “We make the effort to be the easiest agency to do business with,” Walker continues.
While putting aside money to get those things that seem unnecessary can be frustrating, the payoff is evident when life inevitably takes that turn. As Walker emphasizes, “Insurance is a big part of life. It’s a bill you pay and forget about but it’s the reason the world goes around. It’s the reason banks finance homes, contractors get jobs; it oils every part of our society.”
Walker didn’t necessarily aspire to be an insurance enthusiast. As he says with a smile, “No one dreams about going into insurance; they just fall into it.” Intentional or not, Walker finds what he does to be quite rewarding, affording him the opportunity to grow with customers and to walk them out of a bad experience into one that isn’t so bad after all.
At the end of the day, Walker looks forward to heading home to spend time with “his amazing wife and two little girls, ages one and three.” Though he used to play a lot of golf, he hung up those clubs for family bike rides and pink scooters.
Commonwealth goes out of its way to “over serve” its clients; “superior customer service is our hallmark trait,” says Walker. “And though that commitment to quality can keep me up at night trying to get it right, it pales in comparison to anything happening with my kids.” Walker experiences a sweet blend of doing his job at the office and getting it right at home.
TO THE POINT:
Commonwealth Insurance Center
Address: 601 Thimble Shoals Blvd., Ste. 140, Newport News, VA 23606
Contact: Casey Walker, president/owner
Phone: 757-825-2577
Website: cicva.com
