The one year mark has been reached; my name has been on the building for a whole year. "Farmers Insurance Ginger Patz Agency" still feels weird. Not to mention how the insurance industry has been weird, too.
So many changes, ups and downs, it's impossible to predict how much premiums will be or if and when they will ever go back down. Just as I took over, every insurance carrier made drastic changes. To top it off, multiple companies all decided to update their online systems and software, causing many glitches and delays. My team and I have been watching all the updates, making sure we know how to best navigate through each case as guidelines continue to frequently change.
This Farmers agency was brought to Tehachapi by Marty Pay, a name well-known and loved in our small town. I started under him just about 20 years ago and served as the manager for many of those years. Now that Marty has retired and has time to play hard after working so hard for so long, it was time for me to step up to the plate and take the reins. Our goals are unchanged, we still plan to serve the Tehachapi area with the same personal and detailed approach you've all come to know, despite all the changes the industry has faced.
My hard working group of agents are phenomenal. We are all long-time locals spending the majority of our lives in this town we love. We each live here and share in the same insurance woes as homeowners ourselves. I have more than 44 years in this town and I'm not leaving any time soon.
Now, my super awesome team:
Amber Orozco is our office manager and homeowners' insurance specialist. She has been with the agency for 10 years. I don't know what I would do without her! (She is also my daughter).
Sandra Higareda has been a part of the office for 4 years and is patient, kind and bilingual (Spanish). She works hard for every client.
Lisa Waddell has 9 years in insurance and has been with us for the last 4 years. She is the main source of "sunshine" in our office. She has awesome customers service skills. We are lucky to have her.
Dena Thomas is new to insurance, but has made strides in learning the trade.
Our newest team member is Vanessa Villaneuva of Shield Pacific Insurance. She has recently joined our team and we could not be happier. Shield has merged with my agency so Shield's current clients still have a local agent. Our team is here for all our clients. This merger is a great fit and Vanessa is a perfect addition to our team.
We care about our little town and are here to help with ALL YOUR INSURANCE NEEDS!
Farmers Insurance Ginger Patz Agency is located at 212 W. F St., Tehachapi and can be reached at (661) 822-3737.