The Hammonton Gazette 12/14/16 Edition | Page 5

Page 4 • Wednesday , December 14 , 2016 • The Hammonton Gazette

Insurance companies in Hammonton help their customers

INSURANCE , from Page 1 risk management for municipalities .
D ’ Agostino said he has spent about 30 years helping southern New Jersey municipalities save money , which in turn helps the residents financially .
“ It helps on the bottom line . The money they ’ re saving on insurance and reducing claims keeps the taxpayers happy ,” D ’ Agostino Jr . said .
D ’ Agostino has experienced a lot during his 41 years in the industry but says the highlight of his business is actually when an insurance claim is paid because even though it usually means something unfortunate has happened , it allows the insurance company to help somebody when it is needed the most .
“ As crazy as it sounds , I enjoy when we actually get to pay a claim . It ’ s the time where our customers are in the most need of help . I recall a total loss fire ... I was there at seven in the morning , we had to wait for their bank to open , and as soon as we could get the bank all set up , we had our insurance money wire money in so they could go get clothing and rent a place to stay , and those are the times you feel really good because you ’ ve helped someone when they were in most need ,” D ’ Agostino Jr . said .
Having so many independent insurance agencies in town gives residents many options when choosing the type of coverage they want . It also gives them the ability to get specific , niche coverages that aren ’ t easy to find at the larger , direct writer insurance companies .
Farm Family Casualty Insurance was established in 1953 by a group of farmers who had a need for coverage that no other company would offer . Since Hammonton has such a rich agricultural heritage , this policy lasted over time and according to Farm Family Agent John Garrison , it is one that no other company offers .
“ There ’ s one or two that may insure a farmer if he ’ s doing more processing and they ’ ll insure him as a processor , but as far as insuring as a farm , no , there are no other companies ,” Garrison said .
Garrison said he believes having these types of protections through insurance are important considering the risk people ’ s assets face in a world where tragedy and litigation are constant .
“ We ’ re in a very litigious world nowadays ; everybody wants to sue everybody else and it ’ s a shame . It ’ s a shame it has to be that way , especially in New Jersey … You ’ re here to help protect those assets for those people and get them back to where they were , should they have a claim where a house burns or something happens … You want to get them back to where they were and do it in such a fashion that it ’ s easy for them ,” Garrison said .
The insurance business , like most , is not one without its challenges . BCA Insurance Group Partner Nicholas Cashan has been in the business since 1976 and says the current economic landscape has made it increasingly difficult to adequately cover his clients at an affordable cost .
“ The challenge is to try and meet the needs of the client and maintain an economical cost … In the current environment , it ’ s always the volatility of the marketplace , trying to maintain the right coverage and rates for our customers as the marketplace goes through its variable swings ,” Cashan said .
While the marketplace has been volatile in past years , one of the constants of the local insurance business has been the personal interaction between professional and client , which is something that can ’ t always be achieved when dealing with a direct writer insurance company like Geico , Progressive , Allstate and more .
“ Everyone who knows me knows me as a people person . I
love being out talking to my customers visiting them at their business and homes . I enjoy the personal aspect of the business , interacting with not just clients , but clients whom I consider friends who know and trust what I do ,” Diversified Insurance and Financial Services Owner Michael DeRose said .
Not only do the independent insurance companies in Hammonton offer a personalized level of service that the direct writers sometimes don ’ t , but they are also devoted to selling clients the coverage they need , not just the coverage they hear about on television that isn ’ t always as good of a deal as it sounds .
“ I would say that a lot of people are sometimes misled by some of the advertising they see offered to the direct writers because a lot of people will look at that you could save money if you go with one of the direct writers , but sometimes those companies aren ’ t always offering you the same coverages . So , if sometimes the perception is that they are cheaper , people want to go to those companies ; it ’ s all smoke and mirrors . A lot of times , they are cheaper , but they ’ re offering less coverage , so they ’ re not properly protected ,” M . L . Ruberton Insurance and Real Estate Agency Principal and Owner P . J . Pullia said .
Pullia said every insurance client has specific needs , and it is the independent insurance agent ’ s job to find out what those needs are so proper coverage can be found .
It ’ s not always a quick process done on the Internet or over the phone .
“ It ’ s important for people to have an independent insurance agent . I think that it ’ s important to sit down in front of their agent , make sure their agent understands truly what their insurance needs are and gives them proper coverage . To be honest , it ’ s not something you can do in 15 minutes over
HAMMONTON — A man stopped after soliciting with another man on the 100 block of Cypress Court at 5:30 p . m . on November 28 was arrested on two outstanding warrants , Hammonton Police Lt . Kevin Friel said .
“ There were two male subjects in the area who were considered suspicious . They were stopped and found to have been soliciting for a company . One of the individuals had two outstanding warrants ,” Friel said .
Jacob West , 24 , of Easthampton , had a $ 200 warrant from Howell and a warrant in the amount of $ 589 from Westhampton , Friel said . West posted the amount of the warrants and was released , Friel said . “ Both men were advised to obtain a permit to solicit door-to-door in the future ,” the phone because nobody knows how good their insurance is until they have a claim ,” Pullia said .
The southern New Jersey headquarters of New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance ( NJM ) is located on 12th Street in Hammonton . NJM declined to comment for this article when contacted by The Gazette .
Gina Rullo contributed to this report .

Man arrested for warrants

by Gabe Donio
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
Friel said . Sgt . Donald Kunen was the arresting officer , Friel said .
In other police news , a man was arrested at 11 p . m . on December 3 following a motor vehicle stop , Friel said .
“ Officer Brandan Campbell stopped a vehicle in the area of Cacia ’ s Bakery on 12th Street for failure to stop at a stop intersection previously up the road ,” Friel said .
Antonio Alicea III , 25 , of Hammonton , was found to have an active warrant from Hammonton in the amount of $ 1,000 and was also found to be driving while suspended , Friel said .
Alicea was issued motor vehicle summonses for failure to stop or yield and , driving with a suspended driver ’ s license , according to Friel . He was released on his own recognizance and given a court date of December 13 , Friel said .