Here at Hippo, we’re always looking for like-minded people who want to change the way homeowner’s insurance is done. That’s why we partner with dozens of independent insurance agencies across the country, bringing their industry knowledge and passion for customer service to the Hippo experience. These hard-working agency partners are constantly seeking new and different ways to serve customers, offering a personalized and local service.
One such partner is Orlando Ramirez, owner of InsuraPro Advisors in Fairfax, Virginia. Soon after college, Orlando started a career in retail management. But it wasn’t long before a friend tapped Orlando to bring his skills to a new venture he was launching: a Property insurance agency. Orlando took the job and never looked back. “Property insurance has always been my niche,” he says. “I’m somewhat of a subject-matter expert, so as my network continued to expand and expand, through both lenders and satisfied homeowners, I grew a reputation as being a go-to person in the metro DC area for anyone looking for an agent that both lenders and customers would like working with.”
From the beginning, Orlando has inspired his agency teammates with his high energy and high-producing, positive attitude. Although he wasn’t immediately sure if insurance would be his long-term career, he found that his skills were a perfect fit for the various agencies he has worked for over the years. “We have an impeccable turnaround time,” he says. “We never leave people waiting around. Whether it’s a declarations page or any other reply or document needed, time is of the essence for me, and I know that it is for my client as well. I am a very fast-paced person who wants to make sure my client is as happy as possible, as quickly as possible so that I can move on to the next client and make sure they are satisfied with their request next.”
His enthusiasm, combined with his natural ability to manage people and customer expectations, has brought him great success over the past 15 years. “After working for a few different agencies, I knew I had enough knowledge to do my own thing,” says Orlando “So about four years ago, I opened up my own agency. I built it from the ground up, and now we are ten people strong and growing quickly.”
Starting and running a successful insurance agency, especially in a competitive market like Washington DC, can be difficult. Still, Orlando and his team have built a strong reputation in a city where word of mouth is critical. “Building the reputation I have is invaluable,” he says. “That’s why the providers I work with have to be able to keep up with the standards I have set for myself and my agency when it comes to customer service and time efficiency.”
When we asked if that’s what he likes about working with Hippo, Orlando doesn’t hesitate. “My work requires speed and precision, so yes, that is why I prefer Hippo so much. My agency has a high rate of policies we are challenged to write per month, and that goal is only considered complete if the lenders and customers have a 100% satisfactory experience. With an insurance agent on every corner, we have to do our best and be as fast as possible to not delay anything while closing on their home. Hippo is the best partner to do that.”
While Hippo is already well-known in places like California and Texas, we’ve only recently arrived on the east coast. “I just happened to cross Hippo one day, and I am so glad that I did,” says Orlando. “The competitive rates were what I noticed first, and then the fast and efficient quote process was another huge point for me. Upon further research, the team and I also like the versatility of the different endorsements that we were able to customize a policy with, and then it was the ability to be pretty paperless so that we can continue to be environmentally conscious were all things that caught my eye.”
Being available to his customers and providing them a friendly, skilled service is what motivates Orlando every day. “I love being able to solve issues for my leaders and customers how they want or better, and as fast as I can. Especially in the cities, we are all fast-paced. Even on my vacations, I keep my family busy with one activity after another.”
After just a few minutes with Orlando, it’s easy to tell that he loves what he does. “I really enjoy what I do,” he agrees. “I am a social butterfly. I like meeting people, helping them, being a person they can call to help them get the proper coverage, or just to ask what they should do before they start shopping for a home. Being able to help is very much a passion of mine.”
Orlando says his team is seeing the results of the homebuying boom that started in 2020 and is continuing into 2021. “We deal with a fair amount of first-time homeowners, so that’s where my team and I see we have to provide a much more educational experience,” he says. “When people are transitioning from being a renter to a homeowner, that’s a very different experience. Not being able to call your landlord if there is an issue can be a shock and may lead to customers filing small, unneeded claims. So being able to create resources for them is something we are looking at expanding very soon.”
He adds, “every one of my agents needs to have the knowledge themselves to be able to provide insurance advice to first-time homeowners. I want them to be dedicated to talking to the homeowners about how we can help educate them proactively with their homes and coverages because the relationship needs to be win/win. That is another reason InsuraPro Advisors utilizes Hippo so often. The use of proactive technology is something we encourage our customers to take advantage of.”
So what does the future look like for Orlando and InsuraPro Advisors? “We are taking a note out of Hippo’s book as we look into 2021,” he says. “We will be investing in technology, installing innovative new systems to expedite processes and help our entire business to run more efficiently and successfully. We have seen what innovative technology can do for Hippo, so we are really inspired.”
The feeling is mutual, Orlando. Our agent partners are a crucial part of the Hippo family, helping thousands of customers get the best protection for their homes. We invest in empowering agents in new and better ways, so homeowners can continue to benefit from the expertise of agents like Orlando and his team at InsuraPro Advisors.
