Scott Richards Insurance and Anacortes Marine Insurance
have a long history of providing the best insurance for their clients. Scott Richards Insurance started in Anacortes, WA in 1951. The current owner/agent, Scot Buchanan, purchased the business in January of 2012.
Scott Richards Insurance continues providing clients with the highest quality insurance services and lowest rates available. With the help of his dedicated team of agents they serve their home state of Washington and are licensed in Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, and Oregon.
Around the year 2000, the previous owners of Scott Richards Insurance hired Alan Mazonson whose specialty was marine insurance. Alan eventually went off on his own and started Anacortes Marine and Specialty Insurance. The business did more than just provide boat owners with insurance, they specialized in insurance for marinas, yacht brokers and dealers, and marine trade businesses, such as, manufacturers, boat builders, repair and maintenance, and more. When Alan developed brain cancer his family approached Scot of Scott Richards Insurance in regards to purchasing the business.
In January of 2013 the purchase was complete and the name was changed to Anacortes Marine Insurance. Now under the same roof once again the two companies continue the legacy, the history, and the service their customers have come to expect.
Why two different companies?
Scott Richards Insurance provides home insurance, auto insurance, life insurance, business insurance, and yes, even boat insurance.
Progressive, State Farm, Allstate, Farmers and Geico, Hartford, all have boat insurance, but are usually limited in types of coverage and meant for smaller boats. Home/auto insurance companies don’t usually understand yachting, so yacht owners need someone like Anacortes Marine Insurance to find them the right policy.
In one case sea water was sucked into the engine causing damage. The policy was with one of the carriers that specialize in home/auto insurance and the company didn’t understand why or how it happened so they stalled in paying the claim. Whereas, a yacht carrier would have understood and just paid the claim without all the hassle.
Anacortes Marine Insurance has contractual access to some of the best insurance carriers in the marine insurance industry; Chubb, ACE Private Risk Management, Falvey, Pantaenius, Red Shield, Travelers and Safeco, whose specialties are yachting insurance and insurance for marine industry business. This allows Anacortes Marine Insurance the ability to provide the best coverage and rates to their marine industry clients and to yacht owners who need the right insurance.
When a claim is filed the claim is between the insured and the carrier. The agent’s role is to help a boat/yacht owner get the right policy and make sure it is written correctly, this is where experience comes in. If there is a problem with the carrier, the agent can be an advocate.
Scot’s advice, “Get it written right at the beginning, get all the coverage you want that best fits your need.”
A good marine insurance agent will understand the needs of a boater and recommend the best policies to fit those needs.
Independent Agents, such as, Anacortes Marine Insurance and Scott Richards Insurance vs Captured Agents (agents who sell a specific carrier like State Farm or Farmers) have more leverage with adjusters.
Scott Richards Insurance and Anacortes Marine Insurance belong to The Advantage Group, a group of eighteen agencies, each individually owned, together they have the clout and the power to purchase the best policies for their clients.
“This is what we do,” Scot said. “Anacortes Marine Insurance specializes in yachting and marine industry insurance.”
Scot is the Co-Owner and Managing Agent at both Scott Richards and Anacortes Marine Insurance. Born and raised in the Skagit Valley, Scot has a BA in Communications from the University of Washington. He lives in Burlington and has two young children attending school there. He is a member (and past-president) of the Burlington mid-day Rotary, and serves as a board member on the Burlington-Edison Alumni Foundation.
Meet the Scott Richards Insurance Team
Sheri Bitterman has been at Scott Richards 19 years
Nicole Schmidt has been there for 2 and at State Farm for 17
Cletha Sala has been here 3 years and has worked for both carriers and other agencies out of state for more than 20 years.
