Foothill Valley Insurance’s Tyla Belton is in this month’s Workers’ Comp Spotlight
Meet Tyla Belton, a 20-year veteran of the insurance industry and co-owner of Foothill Valley Insurance Agency in Roseville, California. She’s in the Workers’ Compensation Spotlight this month as one of our key producers and a new agency owner.
“Our success is all service-related. We all use primarily the same markets, so why buy insurance from me? Service!! I am always available and responsive to our clients. We work quickly to take care of their needs. Service will always set you apart,” Belton explained.
Like many agents, Tyla “fell into the insurance industry.” In her early 20s, newly married, and working on her business degree, she was looking for a career. A cousin worked for Foothill Valley Insurance Agency and recommended it to her. “I knew nothing about insurance and barely knew anything about my personal insurance. But it sounded interesting, so I gave it a try,” she recalls.
Fast-forward to this past January: That’s when Tyla and her husband Tom purchased the agency from the former owner of 38 years. We discussed her career path and insurance successes recently.
What’s it like to work every day with your spouse?
“We are a family-owned business. I love working with my husband. Some wonder how we do it, but it actually works very well. We complement each other in all areas: He is great at some things and others, I am great at,” she explained. “And most of all, we want to help other family-owned businesses be successful. We know that family-owned businesses are 100 percent all in and committed to what they do, and we want our clients to know, we are too.”
What do you think sets you apart from other agents?
“I love to build relationships with people, to get to know them. I’m very outgoing and I like to know people on a personal level,” Tyla said. “Several of my clients are all business. I am totally fine with that. But most of my phone calls have some personal connection with the clients.
Related: Spotlight on Workers’ Compensation Producer Craig Penrose
“We all use the same carriers, and transactional insurance is becoming very popular,” she added. “That means that, although we too are growing with the times, we will still sit at a client’s kitchen table and help them understand what they are buying and what their options are. Big or small client, it does not matter, we are always here to help!”
What’s the hardest part of your job?
“Claims!” she answered. “I hate it on a personal level when anyone suffers a loss. I can empathize with my clients – and it’s no fun.”
What advice do you have for new agents?
“Hang in there. Yes, it’s hard and will be difficult at first. The advice we received early on really worked: Just do the right thing and work hard, and everything will work out. It’s not overnight success, but if you hang in there and work hard, success will come!”
Related: Workers’ Compensation Producer Spotlight on Annette Paul
What led you to choose Arrowhead’s Workers’ Compensation Program?
“Their marketing rep walked in the door years ago, wanting to appoint us to write Small Contractors GL. We wrote a lot of that, which then evolved into Work Comp and Auto too. Rates were so good, we wrote a lot of Workers Compensation for years. And our marketing manager (Michele Mayer) is awesome. She’s always been there when I needed help or to complain – and that’s big for me.”
“Arrowhead is here to help our agents grow along with us, as we bring new competitive markets to California,” responded Michele Mayer, Northern California marketing manager. “Tyla is always very honest about the good and not-so-good. Because of that we can take her critiques to expand on what works and improve on areas to make Arrowhead’s products and services the best out there.”
“Constant and accurate communication and being responsive to solve our needs – that’s what keeps Arrowhead as a top Workers’ Comp market for us,” Tyla summed up.
Learn more about Arrowhead’s Workers’ Compensation Program.
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