Meet Zach Bosh, Commercial Lines Agent at Great North Insurance. Bosh co-founded Great North alongside Nick Killoran in 2010, and together, have earned awards and recognitions for outstanding insurance and customer service.
Since Great North Insurance was founded in 2010, Zach Bosh’s heart has been to develop relationships and help clients find the best insurance that fits their needs. Bosh specializes in commercial insurance and prides himself in the fact that Great North can create and customize insurance packages that fit every need out there. His goal is to provide the best service possible to clients by working hard to uncover the needs they have and provide insurance cares for their needs on a daily basis—and ultimately for their business to stand the test of time and thrive for years to come.
I tailor each policy to the individual customer to make sure it fits their needs properly.”
If I don’t know what type of insurance/packages my business needs, how can you help me decide?
Asking questions is the most important thing for me in understanding your needs. I think insurance is one of those things that people feel like they have a good idea of what’s going on and what they need.
There can be a lot of gaps in coverage if you don’t know what you’re looking for. When I started here, I had my insurance at just a captive carrier here in town. I got the insurance when I was 22 years old, bought my first house and I thought I was covered for everything. It wasn’t until I actually got my license and understood what I was actually looking for that I realized how bad my first policy was that I had.
How do you help me understand the risks of my business (and the industry it falls under) and help me choose the best insurance for that?
My biggest philosophy has always been to ask questions. I can always tell people what I think are the most important things but a big part about insurance is figuring out what’s important to you, the customer. The first thing I’ll ask is where their risk aversion is at and what coverages are important to them.
I always preface by asking about things that have come up in the past that have been hot button topics for the client. When I look at someone’s policy, I’m going to guide them by making recommendations and making sure they know what are some good options to have. I tailor each policy to the individual customer to make sure it fits their needs properly.
What elements of GNI’s commercial insurance are you most passionate about?
As far as elements about commercial insurance, I’m most passionate about the fact that we do a really good job of connecting with the customers that we have. I tell everyone that I want to be more than just an insurance agent to them; if I’m just someone that’s going to collect a bill or a check at the end of each year, it’s the wrong relationship for both of us. It’s important for customers to find value in what we’re providing them, not only from the insurance perspective but also from an advice and resource perspective; we try to be a resource for whatever their business needs. There are even situations when someone may need something like a payroll service, and although we obviously don’t do anything like that, we will refer them to different people in the community that may be able to help them out. And that’s what I feel is another part of my job; this helps bring value to the overall relationship.
I’m most passionate about the fact that we do a really good job of connecting with the customers that we have.”
Adding in things like security cameras and telematics for your vehicles are also a couple of great ways to keep your premiums down.”
What are some things I can do for my business to keep my premiums low?
Inflation affects everything, including insurance. Things like property values keep going up and so naturally insurance costs to cover those properties go up. The good news is there are steps you can take to help keep your premiums low.
One thing you can do to keep your premiums low in today’s world is to have a good risk management program to try to negate claims that can be easily avoided. There are always going to be those situations that can arise that you can’t stop from happening (e.g. weather, car accidents, etc.)—and that’s really what insurance is for. The ones that can be avoided are the easiest ways to help keep premiums down. Adding in things like security cameras and telematics for your vehicles are also a couple of great ways to keep your premiums down.
What hallmarks of your commercial insurance and its packages do you pride yourself in the most?
We do a good job of getting a comprehensive policy for the customers. I tell everyone that I want to make sure that in five or 10 years if a major incident happens, it doesn’t derail their business; I want to make sure that they’re able to keep moving forward.
It comes down to providing the customer with something that maybe they don’t have currently. The risks are changing within our society; there are things like cyber insurance and EPLI that are becoming more prevalent in today’s world where they need to have coverage. 10 or 15 years ago nothing like that was even offered, so it’s important to explain to them the value. Your true cost of insurance is the cost of your premiums, deductibles paid and unpaid claims—so it’s important that we try to minimize that overall cost leave on a yearly basis as much as possible.
What does GNI provide that other agencies often miss? What makes GNI stand out?
When Nick (Killoran) and I started Great North, our whole thing was we wanted service to be at the forefront of everything we were doing; being involved in the community, making sure that we were accessible to our customers.
I feel like oftentimes, insurance agencies focus on the first six months and making a good impression with the customer. For me, it’s what you’re able to do the second six months, the second and third year after that which really makes a difference in what you’re able to provide.
I think everyone always says that they have great service, I feel like service is one of those things you only truly understand once you experience it. That’s something that I always want to make sure of; I always want to ensure I am meeting clients’ expectations.
