Broker Spotlight – Garrett Hartley
Garrett Hartley is a rising star at SeaFirst Insurance Brokers. Though he’s a very busy, hard-working man, we took the time to ask him some questions about his work, his interests, and the things he cares about.
How long have you been with SeaFirst Insurance Brokers, and what is your role or specialty within the company?
I’ve been with SeaFirst for over two years now. For the last year I have been working as a Commercial Producer.
Why did you choose SeaFirst Insurance Brokers to work with?
I chose to make the move to SeaFirst because of the small business feeling I got from the company. They have great relationships with their staff and clients, everyone feels like part of the same team. Along with the small business feeling that SeaFirst cultivates, they also have abilities and access to markets comparable to those of larger businesses. The potential for advancement was one of the key reasons I joined the SeaFirst group.
In your area of insurance expertise, what common misunderstandings do people often have? Are there any general areas of liability and insurance that you think the public could be helped to understand better?
The most common misunderstanding people have is that the product with the cheapest price is their best option. It is understandable that many people feel this way, especially if they have never experienced the claims process. But having a product that is underwritten correctly for a client’s class of risk that stands up (if or when a claim is made) is of primary importance. A correctly underwritten product paired with a hassle free claims process is extremely valuable to clients and should be considered along with pricing.
What do you do for fun and personal interests outside of work?
I love staying active by playing basketball, flag football, golf, hiking, snowboarding, etc. I really enjoy working with Doug Strong here at SeaFirst who has similar interests. He provides opportunities for the SeaFirst staff to join him on some of his adventures such as the annual SeaFirst Rafting Trip.
SeaFirst Insurance Brokers is known for its community involvement and support of charities. What are some of the things you care about?
In this last year I was involved in Victoria’s first “Canstruction” event. This was put on by one of my clients, The Dahlia Society. Some of the Seafirst staff and I, along with 8 other business in the Victoria area spent 2 days constructing a sculpture made entirely of canned food. The event was held at Mayfair Mall where people voted on their favorite sculptures. Afterwards all the cans of food and the money raised were donated to the Mustard Seed to help the homeless. For the past 2 years I have run a ‘Movember’ campaign to raise money towards prostate cancer research. Both years I’ve raised roughly $300 through donations from staff and clients. (Garrett would not allow us to share a photo of his rather splendid mustache at the time of this interview. It truly was splendid)