Farm Bureau is preparing for a busy year in Lafayette County and getting plans together for all types of advertising to promote the company’s story to the customer base. Wayne Perkins said his Farm Bureau office on West Oxford Loop had an incredible year in 2017, and the prospects for 2018 look even brighter.
This past year was full of change in new auto and homeowners rates, Perkins noted. The agents in Oxford finished the year with nice increases in home and auto sales and are eager to move to the next level in all areas of service to their clients.
HottyToddy: Wayne, it sounds like business could not be much better for you at the present time. We understand you’re increasing the size of your staff?
Perkins: We now have seven agents and two office locations and are seriously considering a third location and adding at least one more agent. As our little town grows, we are trying to meet the needs of our growing population. There are lots of good companies represented in Oxford and Lafayette County, so we have to do a better job if we want that business. We believe we have the best claim service available anywhere and, when someone buys insurance from us, they have their very own agent to handle all areas of concern they have.
HottyToddy: Tell us about your affordable life insurance rates.
Perkins: Thanks for mentioning that. We were recently able to decrease some of our product premiums. Although we sell many types of insurance, the 10-, 20- and 30-year term products allow people to purchase the amount of coverage needed to protect their family at a much more budget-friendly rate. We generally recommend clients own 10 to 15 times their annual income in death benefit.
HottyToddy: Most of us associate Farm Bureau with homeowners insurance, but what other kinds of insurance do you offer?
Perkins: The Farm Bureau operates in all 50 states, divided into five regions. We are the Southern Farm Bureau Region and offer insurance for home, auto, life, business, farm, general liability, and a host of specialty products with a vast amount of other companies. So we can handle pretty much any need our customers have.
HottyToddy: A prime consideration in selecting an insurance provider is expediency of claim processing. How does Farm Bureau compare in this respect?
Perkins: Wow! We have claims adjusters in every county of the state. I have a very professional adjuster right here in our office every business day. Most claims are handled the very same day as reported to us. All claims go directly to his computer, so he is aware of what is happening. I personally have all claims forwarded to my computer and phone, so I can call those that seem to be of a more serious nature. I know that, when things happen, people want someone to acknowledge them quickly and advise them what to do, and I don’t think anyone does that better than Farm Bureau Insurance.
HottyToddy: Share with our readers a brief history of the Farm Bureau office here in Oxford.
Perkins: Well, to start, we were the first county in the state of Mississippi to offer insurance to customers. We offer most all insurance services and have many other benefits available through our Farm Bureau Federation. A brochure of all those benefits is available in either of our offices.
HottyToddy: For younger families just getting started, what words of wisdom can you give them about term life policies versus whole life?
Perkins: I tell everyone to purchase all the term insurance they need and all the permanent insurance they can afford. My agents are all very professional, and the first job they have is to get the amount of death benefit needed before focusing on permanent plans. Many times we suggest a mixture of term and permanent policies to take care of a young family and then suggest they have a policy for final needs. Our most popular permanent policy is 20 Pay Life. Once all the general issue requirements are met, payments are fixed for 20 years, and the benefits can last a lifetime.
HottyToddy: Does your office write a considerable number of auto policies? Are discounts offered for more than one family driver?
Perkins: Good question. There are discounts for a host of things. There are loyalty discounts, multi-vehicle discounts and discounts for having home and auto with us. There are also discounts for higher deductibles. As for us writing a lot of auto policies, that would be a very correct statement. Most of our customers insure all their autos with us, and we offer fleet policies for our farmers and other businesses with a high number of vehicles.
HottyToddy: For your clients who have all of their insurance needs underwritten by Farm Bureau, what are some of the obvious advantages and those not so apparent?
Perkins: I think many people want one company to handle all their insurance needs and an agent that is available to them when needed. It simplifies things for insureds in just about every way. Our office can pretty much handle any type of situation. We have bank draft, online payments, check by phone, and all sorts of ways to make paying and service easier. In addition, our office staff all hold insurance licenses, right down to the secretary up front, so you know they are qualified to service all your needs.
HottyToddy: So how do potential customers get in touch with you?
Perkins: Farm Bureau’s state office is located in Jackson. The main Oxford office is located at 2604 West Oxford Loop, and the branch office is at 1109 North Lamar right across from the Beacon. Our phone number is 662-371-1099.
Steve Vassallo is a HottyToddy.com contributor. Steve writes on Ole Miss athletics, Oxford business, politics and other subjects. He is an Ole Miss grad and former radio announcer for the basketball team. Currently, Steve is a highly successful leader in the real estate business who lives in Oxford with his wife Rosie. You can contact Steve at sovassallo@gmail.com or call him at 985-852-7745.
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