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Former insurance company executive opens agency on Sanibel

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Christopher W. Heidrick

Heidrick & Company Insurance and Risk Management Services, LLC is Sanibel’s newest insurance agency.

Christopher W. Heidrick, an island resident and a former senior executive at Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company and Marsh & McLennan, opened the agency in December. Heidrick & Company offers insurance and risk management solutions to individuals, small to mid-sized businesses and non-profit organizations.

The firm has access to a wide range of property, liability, health, life and ancillary insurance products underwritten by dozens of insurance companies and particularly strong solutions for restaurants, retail businesses and high-value homes within and outside of Florida.

“Customers of Heidrick & Company will receive personal service and expert guidance that is second to none,” said Heidrick. “I will personally handle each account. No one will be handed off to a service center or office staff.”

Having established the agent training program for Fireman’s Fund, a high-end insurance company known for white-glove service for affluent clients, Heidrick knows how to deliver quality solutions with attention to detail. And, having started his career 20 years ago settling Hurricane Andrew claims for Prudential, he has the insight to ensure his clients are protected when it matters most.

“Insurance is complicated and expensive, particularly in Florida. My goal is to evaluate all options available to handle risk to help clients get more for their insurance dollar,” said Heidrick.

Heidrick also pointed to two areas where Sanibel residents tend to be at greatest risk.

“Many Americans tend to purchase insurance piecemeal, which creates gaps and overlaps in coverage,” he said. “Since most people don’t regularly review their coverage, it is wise to work with a single professional to effectively coordinate your insurance portfolio. Specific to Florida, most property insurers are not as financially stable as the name brand companies available in other parts of the country. If all Florida property insurers were rated by AM Best, many wouldn’t attain a rating higher than “C.” This creates added responsibility for agents to continually evaluate the financial strength of the companies they represent and communicate findings to their clients regularly.”

Recently appointed to the city’s Planning Commission, Heidrick has written several insurance-related articles and has been featured on CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and various syndicated news stories on the topic of insurance. He is a Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter, a Certified Financial Planner, a Chartered Life Underwriter and a Chartered Financial Consultant. He remains a consultant to the insurance industry and available for public speaking on a wide variety of insurance and risk management topics.

Locally, Heidrick and his family are active members of the Sanibel community and specifically with The Sanibel School Fund and the Sanibel and Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce. He is also a member of Kiwanis Club and a member of the Florida Association of Insurance Agents, the state chapter of the Independent Insurance Agents of America.

More information regarding Heidrick & Company, including helpful articles and interesting content, can be found at www.SanibelInsurance.com. Heidrick can be reached by phone at 239-579-0660.