Austin, TX – September 30, 2019 – Watkins Insurance Group, the largest full-service, locally owned independent insurance agency in Central Texas, has retained its status as part of an elite group of independent insurance agencies around the United States participating in the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) “Best Practices” Study Group.

Each year since 1993, IIABA and Reagan Consulting, an Atlanta-based management consulting firm, join forces to study the country’s leading agencies in six revenue categories. The agencies comprising the study groups are selected every third year through a comprehensive nomination and qualifying process and awarded a “Best Practices Agency” designation. The selected “Best Practices” agencies retain their status during the three-year cycle by submitting extensive financial and operational data for review each year.

“We are honored to have been a member of the Best Practices Study and to be grouped with such a respected collection of agency leaders,” said Patrick Watkins, Watkins Insurance Group President. “By being a Best Practices agency, we are able to share in the learning process for the benefit of all independent insurance agencies.”

More than 1,300 independent agencies throughout the U.S. were nominated to take part in the annual study, but only 267 agencies qualified for the honor. To be chosen, the agency had to be among the top-performing agencies in one of six revenue categories.

The Best Practices Study was initiated by the Big “I” in 1993 as the foundation for efforts to improve agency performance. The annual survey and study of leading independent insurance agencies documents the business practices of the highest performing agencies and urges others to adopt similar practices.

###

About Watkins Insurance Group

Founded in 1949, Watkins Insurance Group is now the largest and fastest-growing locally-owned independent insurance agency in Central Texas. Headquartered in Austin, Watkins Insurance Group has locations throughout Texas. The agency provides tailored insurance, employee benefit, and bond solutions for business and personal risks of all sizes.

About IIABA

Founded in 1896, IIABA is the nation’s oldest and largest national association of independent insurance agents and brokers, representing a network of more than 300,000 agents, brokers and their employees nationally. Its members are businesses that offer customers a choice of policies from a variety of insurance companies. Independent agents and brokers offer all lines of insurance – property, casualty, life and health – as well as employee benefit plans and retirement products. 

Media Contact:

Dshanya Reese, Watkins Insurance Group

512-452-8877 | DReese@WatkinsInsuranceGroup.com

For 70 years, our staff has remained committed to our common goal: We’re here to help.

The following appears in the Austin Business Journal published on June 21, 2019.

What is the primary mission of your company? 

Watkins Insurance Group is a full-service, locally owned insurance agency founded in Austin in 1949. Our mission statement, “We’re here to help.”, drives all our interactions, be it with our clients, our industry, or the communities in which we live and serve. Along with our core values of Continuous Improvement, Relationships, Excellence, Service First, and Teamwork, this is the foundation on which we build.

What sets your business apart from your competitors?

At the heart of Watkins Insurance Group are employees who embrace the mission of being servant leaders. The act of service is a part of our DNA. We are not relying on an impersonal large agency model to define our success. Since 1949, Watkins Insurance Group has been caring for our clients’ needs by putting their interests first. As an independent insurance agency, we can serve our clients better by offering a wide range of products, services, and expertise with no bias toward one carrier or one product. Instead, we analyze insurance needs and develop a risk management plan that includes insurance as well as a variety of risk management techniques to help mitigate the risks and protect assets. Watkins Insurance Group proudly merges dedicated personal attention, earned expertise, and all the convenience of technology to provide our clients with the protection they need in every area of their lives. Watkins Insurance Group provides tailored insurance, employee benefit, bond, and wealth management solutions for business and personal risks of all sizes. With Watkins Insurance Group, you’ll get more than just an insurance agent. You’ll receive valuable advice and access to products and solutions from a skilled and trusted advisor.

What if anything, has changed since your business was founded?

The communities of Central Texas are constantly evolving and shifting. The insurance industry has become an emerging epicenter for technological innovation. Watkins Insurance Group has embraced all these changes and, in most cases, been at the forefront. We have grown from a 3-person agency to an insurance leader with 125 insurance professionals in four offices. We have expanded our relationships with the insurance carrier partners to help provide the strongest insurance options for clients. We give back to our local communities by serving in our schools and on charitable boards, supporting the arts, and extending our hands to lift others up. We embrace technological breakthroughs and pivots so that we may provide insurance guidance in the manner and at the speed our customers prefer.

Describe the defining moment you knew your business would be successful?

We have strategically planned for our growth and we have worked hard to reach our goals. There is no one defining moment. We have been fortunate enough to hire staff who share the same values, have common goals, and we are united in our efforts to aid our clients, our community, and our industry.

What are your plans for the future?

Watkins Insurance Group remains committed to beginning each day with a goal to improve at least 1%. We continue to build value-added services focused on benefiting our clients. We remain persistent in our focus to strengthen our ties to the community. We will pursue and develop insurance professionals who will provide unparalleled service to our clients and bring forth change in our industry. Our goal is to push the envelope by enhancing our model with a strong focus on helping those we serve.