Bringing Even More to Homeowners

By Josiah Kopp

Posted on March 26, 2022

Dawson Insurance, a name that has been trusted by Fargo-Moorhead for 105 years, has taken a major leap in offering even more to homeowners by joining Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA).

Dawson Insurance, a name that has been trusted by Fargo-Moorhead for 105 years, has taken a major leap in offering even more to homeowners by joining Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA). We sat down with MMA Dakotas Chairman Tom Dawson, Private Client & Select Business Advisor Taylor Shuck, Client Advocate Team Lead Stacey Frolek, and Private Client & Select Business Team Leader Alex Dawson to learn more about the amazing things MMA is doing to help homeowners, especially with flood season just around the corner.

The local leadership believes it is important to create a place where employees want
to work, which motivates customers to partner with the firm. The MMA team regularly engages in ongoing educational opportunities, helping to build passionate insurance advisors who are also highly knowledgeable. The MMA Fargo office has historically placed a great deal of pride in philanthropy with its extensive support of local and regional not-for-profit organizations and its Community Relations Committee meets monthly to review and allocate funding.

What Does This Acquisition Mean For Me as a Homeowner?

Dawson Gains More Horsepower with MMA

It’s simple – people don’t like change. We want to develop a long-term relationship that makes us feel like family and where our needs are well taken care of. It is certainly no different when it comes to working with an insurance agency. When changes like a merger or acquisition take place, questions and doubts may arise. For example, “am I going to lose the great customer service I am familiar with?” On the contrary, when you consider Dawson Insurance becoming part of Marsh McLennan Agency you gain the powerful resources and decentralized management of MMA. Dawson Insurance is stronger than ever.

“Joining MMA in 2015 really opened a lot of doors for us,” said Stacey Frolek. ”We now have access to more high- net-worth and high-value markets that offer additional specialty coverages for people that have higher value homes. A lot of those people have homes

in other states or even overseas. By being a part of MMA, we have access to resources to help them find the perfect coverage to fit their needs.”

With this merger, MMA Fargo is providing better packages, products and resources for homeowners, especially with flood season right around the corner.

Flood Insurance

With spring swiftly approaching, flood season is on every homeowner’s mind. MMA Fargo, now more than ever, has great options and coverage to help protect your home.

In recent years where we’ve had more snow, flood insurance has gained a lot of popularity and interest among homeowners. It’s important to address the common questions like, should I have flood insurance? What does flood insurance cost and what does it cover? MMA is here to help you decide what’s best for your home with their expertise, resources and recommendations.

It is important to remember that on most flood policies, there’s a 30-day waiting period from the time that you purchase coverage until the time that it goes into effect. It is best to get your questions answered as soon as possible, so if there is a flooding event, your coverage is in force at that time. Additionally, the National Flood Insurance Program has revamped the way that they look at and rate policies. Policies are now rated on an individual basis according to the property, rather than based on flood zones.

The additional expertise we have access to across the country expands our knowledge and understanding of all types of insurance, including Private Client.
Alex Dawson

Replacement Cost

Especially with the pandemic, there has been a significant increase in replacement cost, particularly with construction costs, whether it be materials, labor or tariffs. For MMA Fargo, the main goal is to ensure their clients are not underinsured.

“We go through a replacement cost estimate sheet to make sure that we get a dwelling value that the client is comfortable with and is accurate,” said Taylor Shuck. “To stay on top of that, we like to offer personal reviews every year to discuss if they have made changes to the home, whether it be an addition or even putting on a deck. And if there is a loss, we want to ensure our clients are protected and not underinsured.”

We’re doing more for the Fargo- Moorhead community than we were prior to becoming part of MMA. We have the same values and same local leadership.
Tom Dawson

When was the last time you reviewed your homeowner’s policy?

Did you know that increasing demand for materials and labor are pushing construction costs through the roof? Many homeowners are unsuspectingly underinsured!