What We Do
At The Champlin Agency, we help you stay protected and set up for success, so that you can focus on what you do best - running your own business...
…We do our job so you can do yours.
Making decisions around Insurance and Finances can be daunting. We get it. We are passionate about helping local businesses and farms to understand what risks they face and how to best protect themselves, as well as leveraging any opportunities we find to help them thrive even more.
As your partner (not just a vendor), we get to know you so that we understand you, your business, your needs, and your potential opportunities. This is how we educate you on what’s possible and help set you up for protection and success.
We work with a wide range of local businesses, from contractors to goat farmers, coffee shop owners to wholesale nurseries. Some clients are just starting their businesses, and some have been established for many generations.
We specialize in working with clients that are intimidated or overwhelmed by their businesses and/or all the possibilities there are with risk management and finances. We pride ourselves on being a welcoming, affirming and supportive space for anyone who has felt unwelcome, unseen, or intimidated in the process of considering and securing insurance, benefits and financial decisions.
We consider ourselves a member of your team. We’re not just your agents, we’re your partners. You can call us anytime something comes up. Our goal is to establish long-term relationships with businesses so that they know they can rely on us throughout the life of their business and beyond.
“Thea has made the daunting process of getting good insurance as painless and stress-free as possible. She is a terrific communicator and I love the fact that I can speak directly with my agent anytime rather than having to go through a big office. ”
What you can expect from us:
We are approachable - We know insurance and financial planning is daunting, which is why we are passionate about helping people who feel intimidated by these necessities of running a business. We don’t expect you to be an expert, that’s what we’re here for. Every question is a welcome question.
We are your partner - We consider ourselves a member of your trusted team of experts that support you and keep your business thriving. We are also your go-to contact once you sign on with us (not a toll-free number).
You will feel educated & empowered - We provide clear and practical information to help you feel educated and capable of making empowering decisions for yourself and your business.
We work around your needs - We understand that running a business is complex - we are flexible and able to work around your unique schedule and needs.
how it works
Here is the process we go through to begin our work together:
Have a free 20-minute phone consult to discuss your needs, questions and get an understanding of how the process works
Free Comprehensive Professional Review of your needs and liabilities over a series of hour-long meetings (number of meetings dependent on business size and individual needs):
Meetings Phase 1: Discovery
Understanding your business, your property, your unique needs
Looking at how you’re currently covered
Uncovering opportunities to leverage growth
Meetings Phase 2: Explore
Discussing the opportunities and solutions that exist for you
Making adjustments to meet your wants
Meetings Phase 3: Implement
Should you decide to move forward, we will implement any final adjustments and get you set up!
Once you’re set up, we will remain your primary contact. We will be your first call when you need something and are always happy to answer questions that come up along the way. Customer Service numbers are also available, should you need assistance outside of regular business hours.
Annual - bi/annual reviews are offered so we can ensure your coverages are up to date and working as intended. This is also a great opportunity to continue uncovering opportunities to leverage growth.
some of the solutions that might support your needs:
General Liability
Business Property
Farm and Agritainment
Auto
Homeowner
Umbrella
Workers Comp
Life Insurance
Annuities
Estate Planning
Succession Planning
Retirement Planning
Defined Benefit Plans
Disability and Long-Term Care
These are just some of the solutions we incorporate to help you have a thriving business. In addition to solutions that we can provide as agents, we also help guide clients on elements of planning where they may work with other professionals. We are here to look at the big picture and be your partner alongside the rest of your team, not just focus on the things that are in our wheelhouse.
Frequently Asked Questions
With risk management and financial consulting, there are inevitably questions. That’s why you hire someone like us, but we want to address some of the initial questions you might have. Click on any of the below to read the answer.
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Risk management can significantly impact the success, stability, and resilience of your business and financial situation. So obviously having someone you trust in your corner is important. We find that finding the right partner is all about fit. Different agents and financial consultants have different styles of communication, different values and different interests. So, we always recommend getting to know a partner and discerning if you feel like you trust them and want to work with them as a consistent member of your support team. Basically, are they someone you would want to call if you needed help?
At The Champlin Agency, we take a holistic approach to your needs and circumstances. Our goal is to work collaboratively with you, involve you in the decision-making process, and empower you to make informed choices that align with your objectives. And then not only be there when you need us along the way, but also be there to consistently help you grow, expand and thrive where you want to.
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Risk Management: At the most basic level, “risk management” is about ensuring that you are protected from any potential threats to your business and assets. Yes, this includes actual insurance policies (which we specialize in) but it also includes considerations in your properties and businesses to proactively prevent loss. This could include things like addressing cyber security, fire and other natural hazards, employee safety protocols, etc. We are here for the disasters when they occur, but we’re also here to help you avoid disasters where and when possible. It’s also important to remember that it is risk management, which is ongoing, which is why we provide annual reviews of your business and risks, because change is constant, so risks can always change. ongoing, which is why we provide annual reviews of your business and risks, because change is constant, so risks can always change.
Financial Consulting: Despite it feeling burdensome to many, Risk Management and Insurance are actually part of any business’s success. Yes, we are here to protect your assets, but also to leverage opportunities to build on your foundational success. That’s why we provide BOTH at The Champlin Agency: Risk Management & Financial Consulting. We specifically look at opportunities to leverage your assets to grow your financial portfolio, plan for your retirement, estate planning, succession and beyond. We have solutions that we offer directly at The Champlin Agency, and we also take the broader picture into consideration and can recommend other partners to work with to round out the most successful Financial Plan that’s the best fit for you.
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The most basic answer is that we make a living through the commissions we receive when a solution is chosen by a client. This is very common practice in the risk management and financial consulting industry.
Because of this setup, some people worry about feeling pressured to go with our recommendations, or that they may be wasting our time, because we offer the first steps of the process for free. At The Champlin Agency, we prioritize education and empowerment. This means that we are more than happy to spend time helping individuals and business owners to understand their risks and opportunities and what options are available to them, whether or not we as an agency, or the solutions we recommend feel like the right fit for them at this time. You are under no obligation to move forward with any, or all of our recommendations. -
A multi-line insurance agent is a professional who is licensed to sell various types of insurance policies rather than specializing in just one type. This means we are knowledgeable about a range of insurance products and can assist in finding coverage for different aspects of your business and life. For example, we offer policies for business insurance, auto insurance, life insurance, umbrella insurance, and more. This versatility allows clients to conveniently obtain multiple types of coverage from a single source, simplifying the insurance purchasing process.
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At The Champlin Agency, we are considered Captive Agents. This means that we primarily recommend and write with one carrier. That said, if the carrier does not offer the relevant solution, we have other carriers and solutions that we tap into. This feels like the best of both worlds - we have really good knowledge and understanding of the products we primarily focus on, but we also know some needs are more unique and are able to pull in other carrier solutions when applicable. We like working this way and also believe it is in the best interest of our clients.