We all need insurance, but it's not the most exciting thing to talk about and especially to read here on a bass fishing website. But, it's critical and you only seem to care about it when you need it. We recently had a chance to talk with Ben from Ben Green Insurance Agency and he was the first to admit that insurance, by nature, is boring and not the most exciting topic to talk about.
Instead, let's talk about the man himself, Ben Green, a bass fisherman, just like everyone likely reading this right now. He works in insurance but lives to fish and spends as much time on the water as he can. Here's his story and how he built an insurance company based on bass fishing.
The reset
Everyone who has ever worked for a job for many years can relate to Ben, who worked in the hotel business with a unique job as managing VIP interactions for a well-known hotel before shifting to insurance sales in 2000, working his way from small agencies to moving on to Sentry Insurance, working across the western states. Then in 2015, he made a significant change as he went out on his own.
"I wanted to do things differently and fell into bass fishing, catering my business to the bass fishing world," said Green.
The following February, Ben entered an FLW event as a Co-Angler and drew Wayne Breazelle, learning fishing techniques from one of the best western tournament anglers while also starting to talk about insurance for fishermen. This sparked a great idea and Ben contacted his brother Bryan Partak to start thinking about boat insurance, which is a tough business to break into. They continued on and worked to insure anything that a bass angler would need insurance for.
The 2016 Won Bass U.S. Open was the official launch of Ben Green Insurance Agency, The Fishermen's agency as he was one of the event sponsors. Insurance is a hard sell full of rejection and anglers didn't want to give their info for his drawing since most were already covered, but Ben pushed on and was encouraged by his pro draws from the event, including past U.S. Open winner Kevin Wiggins.
"Tai Au was the first angler to contact me after the Open," said Green. "He said he was in insurance in Arizona and wanted to support me because I was a sponsor."
He worked with Tai, who taught him the basics of social media marketing and six months after the event, Green sold his first insurance policy that came from the event sponsorship.
The present
Now in 2023, the Ben Green Insurance Agency insures 4,500 anglers in 23 states. Aside from just boats, they insure everything that anglers need to have insured. The bass fishing community is their primary focus and most of their clientele are fellow bass anglers, which they know well.
"We have been incredibly successful helping anglers who are business owners in securing the coverage they need," added Green, who works with his cousin Kevin Sigillito, who handles home, auto, renters, and personal lines. Ben's brother Bryan, an aspiring professional angler competing in Major League Fishing's Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, handles watercraft insurance for the group.
It's been an incredible journey so far for Ben and the team, and he's extremely grateful for how far they have come over the years.
"Undoubtedly, the angling community has helped me achieve my American dream," he said. "There's no greater feeling than taking a kid fishing, participating in an event, or seeing an employee attain their dreams. This is all possible from the contributions of the angling community. For this, I am eternally grateful."
Connecting with Ben Green
Green can be reached several ways and would love to see how he can help. His website is bengreenins.com and he can also be reached by email at ben@bengreenins.com or by phone at (626) 290-0888.
He also regularly posts content on his YouTube channel, including this one from his last trip to California for last year's Snag Proof Open. Give the channel a look and see what Ben has been up to with his fishing adventures across the country.
Insurance isn't the most exciting thing to discuss, but it's a business about people and relationships. The Ben Green Insurance Agency team understands the life and needs of bass anglers because they live it themselves.
Ben Green Insurance Agency
TN License Number 2402742
CA Non Res License Number 0D03631
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