Welcome to Mountain State Agency Alliance (MSAA)! We are the Master Agency responsible for establishing and maintaining the regional network of SIAA for the State of West Virginia, western Virginia, and eastern Ohio . If you’re a local agent seeking to remain independent or start a new agency, you owe it to yourself to find out more about how we can help you!
About MSAA
Mountain State Agency Alliance (MSAA), a SIAA master agency operating in West Virginia, western Virginia, and eastern Ohio. We were established in 1999 by Bill Porter, Dan Kerns and Mary Kerns as a sister company of Ramsey Insurance Agency, Inc. of Charleston, WV.
Today, Mountain State Agency Alliance operates independently as one of the top performing SIAA master agencies in the nation. We are a mentoring organization providing direct access to carriers, higher commissions, bonuses, contingencies and overrides.
Mountain State Agency Alliance was created to help the independent agent remain independent and ease the way for new and captive agents to enter the independent agency world. MSAA continues the family business established by Bill Porter in 1973.
Launched in 1995 and based on the success of the Satellite Agency Network (SAN), SIAA now has over 6,000 signed independent agencies generating hundreds of millions in new premium business annually. Today SIAA is the nation’s largest partnering independent insurance agency alliance. For more information on SIAA nationally, please visit us at www.siaa.net.
Membership
MSAA provides your agency with the opportunity to increase its independence, income and value-while reaping the benefits of belonging to the largest alliance of independent insurance agents in North America; Strategic Independent Agents Alliance (SIAA). More and different than a network, aggregator, or cluster, membership with SIAA offers the following advantages:
- Become Instantly Big
- Stay Independent
- Access to Top Rated Carriers
- Individual Company Appointments
- Preferred Company Contracts & Commissions
- Profit Sharing, Overrides, and Growth Bonuses
- World Class Training- the SIAA Training and Learning Center
- No Minimum Volume Requirement
- Stability of a National Organization
- Ability to compete with larger agencies and clusters
- Keep existing markets while earning new ones
- Agency Software Discounts
- Mentorship/Assistance in Placing accounts
MSAA is seeking limited, quality members in our territory in WV, VA & OH. We have no specific agency profile because our membership consists of a wide range of agency “types.” The common thread? Our member agencies want to grow and remain independent.
If that sounds like you, then MSAA will help you meet your objectives. Many of our members are smaller sized independent agencies that were in need of markets. Larger agencies find that they can earn higher commissions and more profit sharing than they can on their own, and support more markets. Further, captive agents, direct writers, life and financial agencies, and producers have all found membership beneficial. You owe it to yourself to find out more. Contact us today.
Territory
Staff
Kristin Garlow
President/Owner- Received Bachelors degree in Business Administration from Marshall University
- Over 20 years experience in the insurance industry and agency management
- Training & Development for our agencies in WV, OH & VA
- Strategic planning for agents to increase their overall profit and growth
- Quarterly on-site meetings and working daily with members to achieve agency goals
- Training agents on how to quote, sell & service our partner companies
- Reviews agency codes to detect any patterns that could result in increased loss ratios
- Yearly business planning at the local level with each member. Developing marketing plans to assist our members in achieving their maximum potential.
Amiee Facemyer
Chief Operating Officer- Accounting and Commissions
- Network Compliance Manager
- Report Training and Troubleshooting for Members
- Over 20 years of experience in the insurance industry
- Manages NetWeb input
Christy Bell
Director of Commercial Lines Access Plus- Commercial Lines underwriting for Access Plus
- Assist in placing CL Business and works with Member Agents for CL Business Development
- Coordinates CL training for Member Agents
- Assist agents with all CL Issues
- Previous experience as Commercial Lines Account Manager for Yeager Insurance and Financial Services
- Previous experience as Sales Agent for several large commercial retail agencies
- Previous experience as Customer Service Agent
- Christy has over 13 years of experience in the retail Insurance Industry, in Personal, Commercial, Life and Health insurance.
Kalila Jeffrey
Vice President of Network Marketing- Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from Asbury University
- Experience as commercial lines producer at a large retail insurance agency,
- State Auto Commercial Lines Pacesetter graduate
- Development of the ISM Recruitment Program
- Executes ISM Agreements with independent agencies to join MSAA
- Act as a liaison between the agency and our partner companies
- Training and mentoring for new and existing ISMs
- Creates defined quality control measures for profitable growth within our membership
- Develops business plans with new members to achieve growth with our carriers
- Negotiates and monitors book transfers
- Identifies organic growth opportunities with new agency partners
Kelly Scarberry
Director of Personal Lines Operations- Personal Lines Underwriter for Access Plus
- Assists in training for all personal lines companies
- Works with our members and partner companies to create profitable, organic growth strategies
- Work with agents to create coverage solutions for their clients
- Assists agents with any and all personal lines issues
- Over 22 years of experience in the P&C industry
Testimonials
Our relationship with SIAA-MSAA has not only opened up new opportunities for us, but has actually increased the revenue from our existing business. With over 30 years experience as an Independent Agent, I can definitely say we have found a key to continued success in our industry.
— Mike Dove, Dove Insurance Agency, Christiansburg, VAI began business as a scratch agency. As a “NEW” agent, I found it difficult to obtain contracts with preferred carriers. Then I was introduced to MSAA and became a member. At that moment I was on a level playing field with all of the competing agencies in my area. I have experienced phenomenal growth during the last three years and recently bought my own office. MSAA gave me every tool I needed to build my agency.
— Bob Jones, Jones Insurance Agency, Elkins, WVMembership in SIAA has made our agency more financially stable. Our agency has grown by about 25%!
— Charlie Feller, Mullens, WVVideos
Contact
If you are interested in becoming an Independent Strategic Member, just take a minute to fill out this short form, and we’ll be in contact with you soon.
MSAA Newsletter
The Joy of Referrals
Many articles have been written about the Three R’s of Insurance; Retention, Rounding, and Referrals. In fact, it was the theme of one of MSAA’s first
A Potpourri of Thoughts from MSAA
Here are some items left over from past blogs and other random thoughts. Greg Way from Liberty was in our office this week (bringing a big check for
MSAA Can Help You Write a Large Construction Account!
Did you know that MSAA has an awesome market for your large construction accounts? Travelers is open for business not only on the small artisan contractors but
Market News!
Did you know that MSAA has an excellent market for your local non-profit organizations that pays 15% commission? Chuck Smith, Sales Director for Guide One, was
Hot News From MSAA!
It is hard to believe that we are already at the end of January. We have already survived several large snow events, but so far seem to be weathering the
Welcome to 2018!
First, MSAA congratulates everyone for a stellar 2017. We achieved growth with most of our carriers, as well as great profitability. This translates into a LOT
Merry Christmas MSAA!
MSAA 2017 Year in Review As we approach the end of 2017, let’s take a moment to look at some of the many accomplishments achieved during the year. First, 2017
Business Insurance Advantage…
…And Why You Should Take IT!
What is BIA? Business Insurance Advantage is an eight-week educational course developed by SIAA and available exclusively to SIAA members. The course focuses on
My Trip to the SIAA National Meetings
Recently we attended the SIAA National meeting in Boston. At these meetings we always learn about new markets and strategic partners as well as updates on our
The Importance of Cyber Liability Insurance
One issue which we have spoken about before has returned; the threat to our agencies posed by cyber attacks and the liability it brings to both our agencies,
3744 Teays Valley Road, Suite 100 | Hurricane, WV 25526
Office Hours: 8:30am - 4:30pm
Phone: 304-925-0255 | Fax: 304-925-4016
Kristin Garlow, President/Owner
©2020 Mountain State Agency Alliance.
Site Design by Image Associates
Office Hours: 8:30am - 4:30pm
Phone: 304-925-0255 | Fax: 304-925-4016
Kristin Garlow, President/Owner
©2020 Mountain State Agency Alliance.
Site Design by Image Associates