Today we’d like to introduce you to Phillip Wardell.
Phillip, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started Access Insurance 17 years ago. I was in the insurance business prior to starting my own agency. I started the agency on a shoe string and my first office was a small office inside someone else’s office and my entire rent for the month was $200! By the grace of God and the help of my wife Lisa and my loyal employees, I now have 40 employees and have two offices, one in Fort Lauderdale and one in Palm Beach. We are now one of the largest homeowner insurance agencies in Florida writing about 400 new policies per month and renewing another 800 per month. Our agency has grown at a pace, in terms of revenue, of about 35% per year, year over year for the past 5 years. Besides homeowner’s insurance we also write health insurance, employee benefits, auto, life, and commercial property. Our agency employs the latest in technology to keep in contact with our clients.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No such thing as a smooth road, some of the trials have been the devastating effects of Obamacare on the health insurance market, the loss of jobs it caused in the industry as well as the huge rate increases. Once this occurred I immediately ramped up my homeowner’s division and that took off. I have had to deal with so many trials it would be hard to even list them all, however through the grace of God, the agency has grown and prospered. One of the most devastating things to happen was the arrest of a former controller for embezzling funds. This created a tremendous stress on the business but we were able to weather the storm and prosper.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We are one of Florida’s largest producing homeowner insurance agencies. We specialize in Homeowner’s insurance, we represent over 49 insurance companies and are brokers so we place our clients’ interest first and foremost. We also shop our clients’ premiums every year at renewal time unlike many agencies. I am most proud of my employees and sales teams for the amazing job they do. What sets us apart from most agencies is our high tech and high touch approach to helping and servicing our clients. We also offer a client portal and app so they can access their policies and even file claims via the app.
What were you like growing up?
I grew up in Miami, I was an athlete all my life, playing football, baseball and track. I was always very entrepreneurial as a young person, I also enjoy golf and boating. I was always very inquisitive and love to read and learn.
Contact Info:
- Address: Access Insurance Underwriter, LLC, two offices,
2850 North Andrews Ave,
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
105 S. Narcissus Ave, West Palm Beach, FL 33401 - Website: www.accessinsuranceprotection.com
- Phone: 954-565-4666
- Email: pwardell@accessaip;com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AccessInsuranceProtection/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/AccessAiu
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