SeaFirst Insurance partners (from left to right): Gary Law, Dan Olive, Doug Strong, Shawn Fehr, and Doug Guedes (retired)
Seafirst Insurance is the Largest Locally-Owned Insurance Brokerage on Vancouver Island
VANCOUVER ISLAND – Back in 2005, SeaFirst Insurance was just a small 20-person broker-age working mainly with nearby clients on the Saanich Peninsula and Gulf islands.
Today, the company is the largest locally-owned general insurance brokerage on Vancouver Island with clients spread throughout British Columbia and a staff of over 100 and counting.
Dan Olive, CAIB, Vice President of Personal Lines and Commercial Insurance Advisor at SeaFirst Insurance
“We are proud of our deep roots in the communities we serve and the many local partnerships we have made over the years,” said Dan Olive, CAIB, Vice President of Personal Lines and Commercial Insurance Advisor at SeaFirst Insurance.
“Insurance is a ‘people first’ business and we have worked hard to take care of our staff and various supporting partners whom in turn provide great service to our clients.”
Olive first joined SeaFirst Insurance in 2005 then became partner in 2010. He is responsible for all matters related to personal lines insurance products such as home, auto, condo, tenant, travel and boat.
The company history extends back over four decades when the brokerage was acquired by president Doug Strong in the 80s and later partnered with Doug Guedes to expand into Sidney. Over the years, the dramatic changes in the world, particularly in the last 20 years, have posed a significant number of challenges to the insurance industry and required new, innovative approaches to products and services to satisfy diversified customer needs.
“Our business model has evolved to include a more holistic approach to looking after our customers which includes in-house claims support to ensure our clients have someone in their corner when they need us most,” said Olive.
SeaFirst Insurance Brentwood Bay main office building
SeaFirst Insurance offers a number of unique packages that make it stand out from its competitors including strata guard, adventure guard, brew and pharmacy guard, as well as specialized policies and services for high value homes.
While the products and services required from today’s insurance agencies have changed, SeaFirst Insurance has always maintained its commitment to the most important aspect of the business – its people.
“One key differential for our clients at SeaFirst is the ability to handle the majority of claims directly through us, most insurance companies rely on third-party companies to take care of their client’s claims,” said Olive.
“We are proud to have our own, in-house, 24 hour claims department and to have authority with most of our insurers to settle claims directly.”
