The Hutchison Insurance Agency is at 445 Market St. in Bloomsburg.

BLOOMSBURG - Frank S. Hutchison began the agency that has evolved into Hutchison Insurance Agency Inc. when he purchased a small book of business on July 10, 1940, for $500. With that purchase, Mr. Hutchison expanded his business from a life insurance agency, which it had been since the early 1930s, into the general line agency that has grown into the current business entity. Mr. Hutchison's agency expanded through the 1940s and 1950s via his production, along with acquisitions of other small agent's books.
In 1949, Frank Hutchison's son, S. Duy Hutchison, joined his father in the agency business, and, in 1964, the business was incorporated, moving to its present location in the historic district of Bloomsburg in 1967.

The agency continued to grow through acquisition, and, in 1974, additions were made which shaped the agency. John E. Hine joined the agency in July of that year and became president in 1987. The agency became one of the first to fully automate in 1981.

In spring 2004, the agency upgraded and installed a new state-of the-art, Web-based Agency Management System to better service its policyholders. The agency's offices have also undergone restorations and improvements. The current agency principal is John E. Hine, CIC, president. John has been in the insurance industry since 1972. In 1980, he became one of the first agents in the area to hold the Certified Insurance Counselor designation. Assisting John is Gayle Hine, CIC, secretary and treasurer, and C. T.

Kaulfuss. Gayle is a sales professional for the agency with 23 years of experience in marketing commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, as well as contract bonding. C.T. Kaulfuss, with 32 years experience in life insurance, investments and estate planning, enables the agency to provide a broad spectrum of insurance and investment-related products to better service its clientele. In addition to the sales and executive management staff, the agency has skilled, licensed, Customer Service Agents who assist and service its policyholders.

Insurance alliance

In November 1997, Hutchison Insurance Agency Inc. became one of seven founding members of The Insurance Alliance of Central Pennsylvania. The alliance is a consortium of 11 regional agencies controlling a volume of over $240 million in insurance premiums. In 2006, the alliance ranked 28th out of the top 100 property/casualty independent agencies as reported by the National Insurance Journal. The alliance is a major market factor in the Central Pennsylvania region, providing multiple, competitive markets for its clientele. The alliance has signed contracts with some of the most prestigious carriers in the U.S., including, but not limited to, Berkley, CNA, Chubb, The Cincinnati Insurance Companies, Donegal, Eastern Alliance, Fireman's Fund, Guard Insurance Group, Harleysville, Hartford, Philadelphia Insurance Company, Penn National, The Peninsula Insurance Companies, Peerless Insurance, PMA Group, St. Paul/Travelers, Selective Insurance, State Auto Mutual, Westfield Group and Zurich. The alliance provides much more than markets for its customers. It brings a level of service that is unmatched in this region. The alliance has a dedicated loss control representative and employs a claims management specialist. These individuals represent the clients of the alliance member agencies, not insurance companies. Their function is to be an advocate for our customers in the areas of loss prevention, workplace safety and managing the settlement of claims.

Insurance carriers, by their very nature, have an inherent, vested interest in these areas, which might be contrary to the interest of the insured. The alliance provides these third-party advocates to keep your workplace loss free and, if a claim does occur, make sure it is handled quickly, fairly and at minimum cost to you. Visit the alliance at www.tiacp.com.

For more information, please contact us at:

John Hine: (570) 784-5550 ext. 202
Gayle Hine: (570) 784-5550 ext. 205