HOW ARE WE DIFFERENT?

Although one of the partners of Sutker Insurance Services was born in Hartford, Connecticut, the Insurance Capital of the World, neither one of us grew up aspiring to be insurance agents. On the contrary, we attended a Naturopathic Medical school and were licensed as Naturopathic Physicians.

Sutker Insurance began almost 20 years ago as a sideline while one of the partners was starting a medical practice. Through a set of unusual circumstances, a successful insurance business grew. Almost overnight we became the premier agency in the South Bay specializing in retirement planning for people over 50 years of age. Much of our success was based on the fact that we were not insurance sales people and truthfully, were uncomfortable with the idea of "selling." What we did and still do is simply talk to people and, when asked, guide them in making the best decisions for their financial needs.

Because of our backgrounds and because of how we wanted to do business, we created a consumer-oriented insurance agency. We were the first and possibly the only agents to go into Senior Centers around the Bay Area and to train the HICAP counselors who assist seniors in understanding their options for both Medicare supplements and Long-Term Care Insurance.

We were the first and possibly the only agents to actually assist the Department of Insurance in evaluating all the Long-Term Care Insurance policies available in California, and help them understand what each policy offered.

Our loyalty has always been to our clients, not to insurance companies. As an independent agency we evaluate and put together the most appropriate plans for you from the best companies available.

Our business grew because of relationships. Almost 100% of our business has come from referrals. Who refers to us? Primarily our clients, who send us their friends and family. Financial planners, who want to work with someone who specializes in retirement insurance needs. Accountants who need a professional they can trust. Lawyers helping their clients with estate needs, who need insurance vehicles to implement their long-range plans. And finally, consumer advocates have always been a major referral source.

As baby boomers are aging, it has become apparent to us that our generation is totally unprepared for the financial contingencies that come along with this time of life. There are two major gaps that we see. There is little or no thought on how to finance Long-Term health care needs that may arise at any time now. And baby boomers are taking unnecessary financial risk with their accumulated assets, when at this time of their lives they need to think about how to safely preserve the assets they have accumulated for retirement while still receiving a good return on their money.

When we talk about the "baby boomers," we are not talking in the abstract. We are talking about a group that we are part of and know extremely well. We understand your concerns and needs, because we share them. We know where the gaps in planning are, and we have come up with creative ways to protect and grow assets in the second half of life.