Nothing but positive comments have come in to Insurance Offices Ltd. in Leesport since the business acquired Albright Insurance Agency on Oct. 1. According to Insurance Offices owner Michael Mathias, the integration of the two businesses was totally seamless for customers of Albright Insurance.
‘We represented many of the same companies that Albright agency had to begin with,’ said Mathias. ‘So by those clients coming to our agency, they’re not required to change insurance companies.’
Mathias said his business was prepared for the integration, as the automation system of Insurance Offices was set up and ready to accept the information needed as a result of the acquisition of Albright Insurance.
After his business’ purchase of Albright Insurance, Mathias said customers of the acquired agency still call the same phone number and speak with the same representatives. He mentioned the only real change for customers is the physical location of their insurance provider has changed. The Hamburg location of Albright Insurance was closed due to its close proximity to the Leesport address of Insurance Offices; the Robesonia office of Albright remains open.
Mathias purchased Albright Insurance from Rich Kuchar, who owned the business for nearly 27 years. Kuchar said his decision to sell was based upon two factors: the first was his age, 66; and the other was the impending changes in tax laws for 2013, such as a rise in capital gain and income taxes.
The former Albright Insurance owner said there were a number of other parties besides Mathias that were interested in purchasing the business, but the reason for the sale to Mathias came down to personality.
‘I thought our personalities were similar and that our customers could best be served if they would continue forth from Albright to Insurance Offices,’ said Kuchar, who still plans on remaining available as his services are needed.
‘Rich and I have known each other for years,’ said Mathias. ‘We attend the same meetings. We actually worked together at Keystone (Insurers Group).’
Mathias added that the increased staff size of Insurance Offices following the acquisition of Albright Insurance has allowed the business to more narrowly define the roles of its employees.
‘They can deal more directly with a certain part of the alphabet, have less clients,’ said Mathias. ‘So by bringing the additional employees that were Albright into the agency, it just allows us to have even a better one on one connection with our existing clients as well as clients that Albright had.’
After the two businesses are fully integrated, Mathias said the second goal is to connect with all of the Albright customers and update contact information, thus allowing Insurance Offices Ltd. to send out newsletters and emails.
