Founded in 1959, INSURICA has grown from a small family-owned business into a large network of agencies with 800 teammates at more than 30 office locations in eight states. With all that growth, keeping their focus on clients and their three pillars—Integrity, Innovation and Purpose—is essential. 

But for Jim H. Barr, partner and strategic advisor at INSURICA, it’s as simple as doing the right thing and trusting the team around you. According to his colleague Chris Holt, partner and branch leader, both play a major part in our industry. Here’s one of many stories they shared illustrating that fact. 

Holt set the scene: It was the early part of this hard market we’re in. This account had been with the same big national carrier for 20 years. They had been on the account since it was brand new and been with the risk all this time. The loss ratio was not a problem; however, the national carrier said the account was so good, and was performing so well, it was due a big loss and they need to get off it before a big loss. So, as you can imagine, that did not go over very well with my client.

Barr picked up the story. “We were in Austin on another visit, and I told Chris ‘Hey, Columbia’s not very far. Let’s go by and see them.’”

Byron Smith, vice preseident of the Austin Region and niche markets, welcomed them into the Austin Regional Office. Smith introduced Barr and Holt to some of the Austin team members and invited their designated underwriter to join them. They all enjoyed catching up. “We weren’t there asking for anything. We were just talking, and Byron asks, ‘Is there anything we can help you with?’” 

Holt finished the story: So, Jim brings this account up. We talked through some highlights, some of the things about the account that we think might be a concern, and then certainly all the wonderful things. In a couple of weeks, the Austin underwriting team put together a program for that account and still has it to this day. 

Three years later, we have all lines with Columbia—all lines—and so it’s just been wonderful. That’s an example of a true partnership.

We didn’t come to the office with any expectation. We went by to see Byron just to visit. Now Columbia has a policyholder that’s committed to Columbia, that appreciates them stepping in at that time. In the last two years, when we’ve all experienced double-digit increases, they’ve never asked me to shop the renewal. They’ve never asked me to find a better price. So, I think that the loyalty flows. The loyalty certainly flows back and forth, from Columbia and us, and then flows to our clients. We just can’t ask for a better situation.

Barr agreed. “You have to lay your cards on the table and say, ‘Here’s what the risk is.’ Byron looked at it and said, ‘We ought to be writing that.’ There’s just not another way to do it, but the right way. It comes back to that idea: do the right thing.” 

According to Smith, transparent communication helped build the trust he shares with INSURICA. “It’s a great situation when partners like Chris and Jim can come to us with a problem, and we can talk through the risk and be their solution,” Smith said. “That’s what we mean when we say we have people-first partnerships. “I can trust them, and they know they can count on us to serve their clients well.”

Holt agreed. “It’s definitely a two-way street, and that’s something that we protect. We think it’s very important, and we pass that along all the time to our colleagues here in the office. We want to do what’s right. We want Columbia to know exactly what we know. We want the client to be presented exactly the way we know them to be. That’s key for us and one of the keys to the success that we’ve had with Columbia.”

It also helps that Holt knows Smith is just a phone call away. “Byron is always in communication with us, trying to help and always leading us down the path forward. That’s one of the reasons that we enjoy our relationship with Columbia is because of the communication.”