“Insurance can be complicated, and you need to work with agents you can trust and feel they are taking care of you.”—Robb Daer
George Petersen Insurance Agency (GPIA) has been offering comprehensive insurance coverage since 1935. As the North Coast began to emerge as a major wood products center, George Petersen recognized the need to protect merchants and other business assets, founded the company and offered owners insurance protection for their needs. With an 82-year history of delivering exceptional service at competitive pricing, the agency’s focus is to serve their clients and protect their assets. As one of the largest independently-owned agencies in Northern California, they have the size and experience to provide in-house expertise for every kind of insurance coverage.
Robb Daer started with the agency in 1994 and became a partner in 2004. “Insurance can be complicated, and you need to work with agents you can trust and feel they are taking care of you. We’ve developed a reputation for doing that, and it’s reflected in winning this honor all these years.” Daer also believes hiring local people, volunteering in the community and long-term clients are the secret to the agency’s success. Daer reports that the agency has many clients and employees remain with the company for more than 20 years. Account manager, Kate Kennard, for example, recently retired after 35 years of service.
Daer believes providing good products, along with listening to clients needs, gives a sense of safety and assurances that the company is there for them, which encourages them to keep coming back and making referrals. The agency believes in what they coin “An Independent Advantage,” as their agents are not tied down to one insurance company. As independent agents, they have several insurance companies they can approach, which allows agents to carefully select a group of financially strong, reputable insurance companies and offers the best coverage at the most competitive rates. GPIA provides all lines of insurance from personal to businesses policies as well as helping business owners find employee benefits. The agency also works with clients on Safety and Loss Control. Safety issues can be a challenge and part of their services is to sit down with their client and assess their needs whether it is safety concerns in the home or business. All information and presentations are available in English or Spanish.
Currently, cyber liability claims are happening more often, particularly around credit card theft, the sharing of personal and private information, and even viruses. The agency recognizes that their clients need more education in this area, which the agency plans to focus on more this year.
Giving back to the community is an important part of GPIA philosophy. Various community organizations are supported through volunteer time and financial assistance. Daer experiences a great feeling when he attends the North Bay Challenger Little League (NBCLL) games, which the company funds. The program provides an adaptive, co-ed, non-competitive, Little League experience for young athletes with physical and/or intellectual challenges. The agency also regularly volunteers to bag food at the Redwood Empire Food Bank.
Why has George Petersen Insurance been awarded Best Insurance Broker 10 times in the past eleven years? Says Daer, “We care about people and our community plus we have been around for a while. The most important thing is we’ve earned is the community’s trust and respect.”
