HOW A SENSE OF COMMUNITY IS CENTRAL TO GOOD INSURANCE COVERAGE
Yesterday, we held our ribbon cutting and grand opening at our new downtown Everett location. Over 40 business professionals and city leaders showed up, and something remarkable happened—something that reminded me exactly why we’re doing this work.
But before I tell you about that, let me be direct about something: The insurance industry is broken.
It’s become too transactional. Too focused on racing to the bottom on price. And in that race, the most important thing—the person, the family behind the policy—has been lost.
We’re bringing it back. And yesterday was our message to the community that we’re serious about it.
When Business Feels Like Family
When we were planning this event, we knew we wanted to work with local partners who shared our values. That’s when I thought of Kel’s Cafe, located less than 100 yards from our office.
The first time I walked into Kel’s, I felt like family. Comfortable, family-owned, focused on serving their community—just like us. The choice for a caterer was obvious. Like-minded businesses working together isn’t just good practice. It’s what community is supposed to be about. I asked if they wanted to be involve and they JUMPED in with both feet!
What Two Hours Tells You
Here’s what I didn’t expect to happen during our event: People stayed. Not for the obligatory 20 minutes of polite networking. They stayed for over two hours.
I watched business professionals who had never met discovered shared connections. I heard stories about people realizing they had mutual friends, shared histories, common challenges. Holiday party invitations were extended to people who had been strangers an hour before. Existing business relationships deepened right in front of me.
And I realized something as I stood there watching it unfold: This is exactly what’s missing from insurance.
The Thing Insurance Companies Forgot
Somewhere along the way, insurance companies convinced themselves that efficiency meant removing the human element. Automation and efficiency became the goal, disguised as “empowering our clients”. These carriers truly believe that the best customer experience is the one that never requires talking to anyone.
They built their entire model around avoiding relationships.
Think about it. When was the last time your insurance company created space for you to connect—not just with them, but with your broader community? When did they invest in bringing people together? When did they demonstrate that they care about anything beyond your premium payment?
They don’t. Because they’re not actually part of your community.
They’re call centers in other states. They’re algorithms designed to process you as efficiently as possible. They’re corporate entities that measure success by how little human interaction they can get away with.
And we’ve been told this is progress.
Why Community Should Be the Norm, Not the Exception
Here’s what I said during my remarks at the ribbon cutting: “The insurance world has lost its way. We’ve been sold a lie that price is all that matters, that going direct to carriers is smarter, that relationships are outdated.
But when something goes wrong—when your basement floods, when your teenager has an accident, when you’re confused about coverage—you don’t want efficiency. You want someone who knows you. Someone who’s invested in you. Someone who’s part of your community.”
That shouldn’t be the exception. It should be the norm.
Yesterday’s event wasn’t just about celebrating our new space. It was about demonstrating what happens when a business actually invests in community. When they create space for connections. When they partner with neighbors who share their values. When they show up as actual members of the community they serve.
That’s what insurance should look like.
What We’re Really Selling
I need to be honest with you about something: We’re not selling insurance policies. Anyone can sell you a policy. The big direct carriers will happily sell you one—probably cheaper than we can…at least for the first year, anyway.
What we’re selling is something the insurance industry has forgotten how to provide: Partnership. Peace of Mind. Community.
When you work with Skyline Insurance Group, you’re not getting a policy and a customer service number. You’re getting a relationship with people who live in your community, who know your neighbors, who show up at local events, who invest in the same downtown you drive through every day.
You’re getting someone who will fight for you when things go wrong, not because it’s in their script, but because you’re their neighbor.
You’re getting an insurance partner who believes that strong communities are built by businesses that show up, invest, and create connections—not just extract premiums.
The Challenge We’re Issuing
Yesterday proved something to me: People are hungry for real connection. They’re tired of being treated as transactions. They want to work with businesses that care about more than just the bottom line.
If that resonates with you—if you’re tired of call centers and automated systems and insurance companies that couldn’t care less about your community—then we should talk.
But I’m not going to pretend we’re for everyone. If you’re solely focused on finding the absolute cheapest rate and you don’t value having a real partner in your corner, we’re probably not the right fit.
However, if you believe that the businesses you support should invest in your community… if you want an insurance agent who knows your name and your story… if you think relationships still matter even in 2025… then I’d love to show you what we’re building here.
It Starts With Showing Up
Yesterday, 40+ people showed up for us. They gave us their time, their attention, their support. Some stayed for hours.
That’s community. That’s what happens when people believe in what you’re doing.
Now it is our turn to live up to that level trust. We get to prove that insurance can be personal again. That local still matters. That the businesses you support should actually support you back.
This is what community looks like. And this is what insurance should be built on.
Welcome to Skyline Insurance Group. We’re just getting started.
Ready to experience insurance built on community instead of call centers? Visit us at 2820 Oakes Ave, Suite D in Everett, give us a call at 425-789-3157, or learn more at skylinecoverage.com.
Personal. Local. Simple. How Insurance Should Be.