The residents and business owners of Fort Myers and the broader South Florida region are no strangers to nature’s capricious whims. With the region’s higher susceptibility to calamities like hurricanes and tropical storms, robust insurance coverage that can serve as a financial cushion is imperative for protecting commercial and personal assets.
Many businesses embrace the traditional way of selecting different policies from multiple carriers to cover all aspects, from general liability to workers’ compensation. While this strategy has proven efficient in safeguarding their assets and interests, it comes with a fair share of challenges for carriers and proposers.
The market is very challenging due to the current crisis and hyperinflationary environment of the Florida property insurance market. Guidelines and eligibility criteria are constantly changing. This has led to increased rates, less capacity, and some companies exiting the market. Most businesses are receiving significantly higher rates for their renewals or being non-renewed and not even given the renewal offer. When circumstances are uncertain and unpredictable, they want to look to the source of trust, confidence, and people they can count on.
That’s where AWA Insurance, an independent insurance agency with four decades of commercial insurance experience in Florida, can be a significant value to a business owner. AWA Insurance is a local source of quality insurance coverage and is committed to functioning as a bridge connecting insurance carriers with businesses, capable of fostering a mutually beneficial relationship.
Serving the Fort Myers communities and all of Florida as an independent insurance agency, it holds a natural edge in comparing coverage benefits and prices to find the best possible value for clients. The firm targets in commercial business insurance, including general liability, workers’ compensation, health, retail automotive, and property insurance. It also lends a hand in employee benefits administration. In all these endeavors, AWA Insurance is dedicated to delivering high levels of professional service and establishing strategic partnerships with every policy holders.
“We always strive to weave strong ties with the carriers we represent, the businesses we serve, and our workforce to create win-win-win scenarios for all,” says Jeff Williams, President of AWA Insurance.
AWA Insurance is more than just insurance; it’s built on trustworthiness and focused on knowing the client instead of persuading them.
“Trust doesn’t begin with convincing someone to trust you; it starts with someone feeling that you know them. It’s earned over time in specific ways. The right people—the people with facts, the people affected by it, have something to bring to it and can do something about the resolution. This is where trust begins, and the first building block is feeling understood,” says Jaci Acuna, an AWA employee.
AWA takes a relational approach by zeroing in on the right people talking about the right things in the right way. It works toward earning trust and speed dialing in on essentials: understanding what’s important to clients, a client-driven agenda, the capability to deliver, and character makeup and track record. This relationship joins people together at a vulnerable point: trust. The driving force is serving others and the company’s purpose by tailoring an environment where they feel others look out for them with the levels of collaboration—sharing resources, people and information—to move from strategy to a plan.
A One-Stop Shop for Carriers and Clients
The firm currently works with industry-leading carriers, such as Auto-Owners Insurance Co., CIGNA, FCCI Insurance Group, Florida Blue, Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co., Safeco Insurance Co. of America, Travelers, United Healthcare, CNA, Berkshire Hathaway GUARD, Allstate Insurance Co., and Hartford as additional agency partners. The access to a vast and reliable network enables it to go beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and customize each product to best meet business requirements.
A typical client engagement begins with a discovery process, where the team at AWA Insurance reviews their existing coverage. The goal is to gain insights into the gaps and opportunities in their current policies. This process reveals instances where the coverage may have been arranged without the insured’s awareness or understanding, which could lead to subpar results.
The team then matches clients with an optimal insurance product, ensuring the right fit for their requirements.
AWA Insurance also takes measures to help businesses instill guardrails that limit exposure to risks. For example, the firm suggests using technologies like telematics and dashcams to minimize risks, especially for commercial fleets. It also delves into the client’s historical claims and advises on risk patterns, setting the stage for proactive risk management to prevent future claims.
For clients in the construction sector, AWA Insurance reviews subcontractor agreements to implement effective risk transfer strategies and provide guidance on best practices.
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We constantly try to encourage effective risk management as the key to long term success. The customers that understand effective risk management tends to be long term clients and help themselves with a better loss history. This secures favor with the insurance companies and generates more competitive insurance policies
The firm’s hands-on approach is instrumental in building confidence with underwriters, a crucial factor in finalizing proposals. After all, the aim is to secure a proposal that not only meets but surpasses the client’s existing coverage. The team also maintains seamless communication with clients and carriers throughout the process to ensure transparency.
The Florida market is constantly evolving, and AWA Insurance does its best to keep its eye on this factor to help businesses stay abreast of changing regulations. Its commitment to ongoing communication with clients and carriers enables the firm to advice on policy adjustments and best practices for risk management.
“We constantly try to encourage effective risk management as the key to long term success. The customers that understand effective risk management tends to be long term clients and help themselves with a better loss history. This secures favor with the insurance companies and generates more competitive insurance policies.” says Williams.
Client-Centricity, at its Finest
By staying flexible, understanding the market, and consistently making a strong case, AWA Insurance has helped many businesses unlock significant savings in their premiums. It has the capability to consolidate various products, including workers’ comp, general liability, and property coverage, with only one carrier or as few as possible. This capability benefits businesses that often have multiple insurance needs with different exposure levels, lowering the cost of premiums while eliminating the need to enlist and manage coverage from various agents and carriers.
We always strive to weave strong ties with the carriers we represent, the businesses we serve, and our workforce to create win-win-win scenarios for all
“In exorbitant claim scenarios like a million-dollar auto claim, unifying coverage with one carrier proves crucial. This allows the carriers to spread risk across other lines of business like workers’comp, general liability, equipment, and property, ensuring overall profitability even if one line experiences a problem,” says Williams.
These instances reaffirm the firm’s drive to build long-standing relationships with carriers and businesses. This is the pulse of how business gets done and relationships flourish.
A Legacy of Stability
Since its inception, AWA Insurance has wholeheartedly lived by the motto ‘Choose local, choose independent.’ Williams attributes the firm’s success to the unwavering commitment and principles laid down by the founding members, his parents. With his mother still steering the ship for an impressive 46 years, AWA Insurance has maintained stability and resilience in an ever-changing industry.
The agency’s culture has been carefully cultivated, resulting in a team with extraordinary tenure and over 15 to 20 years of dedicated service. This is a testament to the company’s core value: ‘Treat others as you wish to be treated.’
“The Golden Rule is based on empathy, on understanding another person and then meeting the needs in a most desirable way. It’s all about the ‘why,’ answering the important questions that matter. Who is it really for? When we feel the other party really does have our best interests at heart, we rest. We don’t need to worry. Mutual trust makes these gains symmetric. We can rest assured in saying that our partner is ‘there for us,’ and we are ‘there for’ our partner. Trust fosters respect and says that your intent is for me as much as it is for yourself. These values, along with the interplay of many seasoned professionals and fresh talent, akin to a well-coached sports team, creates a dynamic and nurturing work environment,” says Williams.
As AWA Insurance stays true to its local and independent ethos, Williams envisions the legacy evolving. The inclusion of employees’ grandchildren also adds charm to the agency’s narrative. AWA Insurance stands as a beacon of stability, tradition, and values, navigating the insurance landscape with resilience and timeless appeal.
In the road ahead, AWA Insurance aims to further nurture internal talent, strengthen strategic carrier alliances, and sustain its robust growth amidst industry transformations. As one of the few locally-owned, family-run commercial insurance agencies in Fort Myers, the agency strives to preserve its heritage while actively shaping the future. The roadmap reflects a commitment to change, exploration, and upholding core values for over four decades, positioning AWA Insurance as a steadfast ally in the evolving landscape.
Company : AWA Insurance
ManagementEsther Wong, CEO
Jeff Williams, President; Jeff Schorle, Commercial Agent; Josh Chandler, Vice President of Operations; Barbara Revels, Commercial Agent & Matt Dinkel, Sr. VP of Benefits Department
