Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Christopher Becerra. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Christopher, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear from you about what you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry and why it matters.

The way Corporate America approaches insurance is backwards. Boards are beholden to shareholders that constantly demand growth and better performance at all costs. Managers have turned the insurance shopping process into highly transactional and depersonalized sales via call centers. Salespeople are left feeling like hamsters on a wheel, always chasing the next sale with little security should they have a rough month or two with poor production.

On the underwriting side, many carriers play fast and loose until profitability falls off a cliff as claims start pouring in. This lack of underwriting discipline leads to huge losses, causing carriers to increase rates rapidly. Ultimately, consumers are left to bear the brunt of these miscalculations when their premiums increase – leading to undue financial stress and difficulty managing their family’s budget. This is exactly what’s come to bear in today’s insurance market.

Lastly, most carriers’ portals are little more than shiny new interfaces built atop MS-DOS operating systems. Technology is sorely lacking at most of the nation’s top carriers, making doing business with them difficult for both the brokers/agents and clients. Much like the banking sector has overhauled their technology, so too, must the insurance carriers if they want to survive.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I started selling personal lines insurance in 2014 as a captive agent before moving on to work at an independent brokerage. At the independent brokerage I learned how to quote, sell and service commercial lines.

After a year or so of working as a commercial lines producer, I founded a startup insurance brokerage in Wilmington, DE along with some partners. After selling my interest in that business, Cleveland Insurance Brokers was born in the fall of 2018.

We’ve carved out a niche in the area as property insurance experts, and work with many lenders whose clients are purchasing homes and investment properties.

Looking back on the past five years in business, I’m most proud of our unwavering dedication and the world-class service we offer to our clients. You can go anywhere for a good rate, so we differentiate ourselves by delivering excellent service too.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

After nearly two years of working in an intense start-up environment at the insurance brokerage in Wilmington, DE, my business partner decided to step away from daily operations. His decision blindsided me and our silent business partner.

Emergency meetings were held and an agreement was made to place me solely at the helm with both a larger share of responsibility and equity in the brokerage. The following day, all of the agreements were reneged on. I watched a power struggle unfold in the vacuum left behind by my business partner.

My days were numbered at the brokerage I had spent the last two years building. With the writing on the wall, I reluctantly sold my interest in that business before returning to Ohio. I was heartbroken and devastated. After a few months of licking wounds and readjustment, Cleveland Insurance Brokers was born. I haven’t looked back since and am extremely proud of how far this brokerage has come.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

After being away from Cleveland for more than a decade, many of the friends and contacts I once had, were no longer.

Fortunately I learned a ton about the insurance business and crafted my sales process at the old brokerage in Wilmington, putting them to use at Cleveland Insurance Brokers.

A major focus was getting out into the community to meet with other realtors (I’m dual licensed as a realtor and insurance broker), loan officers, and captive insurance agents. They had begun referring clients, and I was hard at work to ensure that their referrals were treated like gold – because they are.

Many of the loan officers and realtors who initially gave us a shot are still working with us today. We’ve built this brokerage by consistently delivering great rates and excellent service.

There are 3 main factors that guide our entire business philosophy:

– We work for the clients, not the insurance carriers
– Do what’s right for the client and the money will follow
– Insurance is a service business

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cleinsurancebrokers.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleinsurancebrokers/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cleinsurancebrokers/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clevelandinsurancebrokers/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/cleveland-insurance-brokers-berea-4

Image Credits
Image Credits: CMB