Insurance business celebrates 25 years - Tiffin Advertiser Tribune
Roger Smith Insurance is celebrating its 25th anniversary by moving into a newly-remodeled office space at 720 W. Market St.
A new sign was erected earlier this month and the company plans to celebrate the new office and its anniversary with an open house 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday.
When the Smiths purchased the former Fifth Third Bank building earlier this year, they increased office space from 800 square feet to 3,200 square feet, said Kyle Smith, who joined his father in the business 12 years ago. The new location also improves parking space for clients.
During remodeling, the new owners kept a piece of the building's history by making an old bank vault door into a table in the lobby. They added a piece of glass on top and four table legs.
Kyle said the agency offers friendly, local service.
"We're small enough to know you by name, but big enough to offer you choices and access to the top companies," he said.
The company got its start when a back problem forced Roger to leave the Tiffin Police Department in 1986. Soon after, he said he was offered a chance to start a Farmer's Insurance agency in Tiffin.
"I liked working with people," Roger said. "The last six years on the police department I did all the public relations work.
The office was downtown for the first few years, and then moved to the company's former address on Wentz Street in 1990.
In 1996, the agency began offering products from several companies.
"Now we represent auto, home, health and business companies," Kyle said. Companies include Progressive, Travelers, Celina, Ohio Casualty, Donegal, Medical Mutual, Anthem, Prudential Financial, Genworth Financial, MetLife, John Hancock and ING.
He said they choose companies to represent based on quality of claim service, good rates "and the best coverage packages."
"All three of those, and the financial stability of the companies," he said.
In addition to auto insurance, the company offers policies for home, umbrella, life, health, long-term care, farm, motorcycle, RV, boat and classic car.
Kyle said the company started a website in 1999 (tiffininsurance.com), and today customers can get quotes from several companies online at the same time.
"We used to do things out of a manual," Roger said. "That would take 45 minutes to an hour to get an accurate rate. Now it's taking less than 5-10 minutes to get rates from 10 different companies. A couple clicks and there's the dollar amount."
For more information, call (419) 447-9900 or visit tiffininsurance.com
14 May, 2012
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