Written by Susie Franklin Roeser
Have you ever been bullied? It’s hard to imagine anything good could come from bullying, if it’s happened to you. Similarly, it probably didn’t seem possible to Stephen Baker either when he was bullied as a child, but because of his early experiences, Stephen was led to choose a career where he can help protect his clients from some of the difficulties life throws their way.
Stephen was born in Atlanta, GA. As a child he moved around the United States living in just about every climate and culture the U.S. has to offer. Stephen thought he’d grow up to be a stock broker. However, when Stephen graduated from Washington State (with a degree in finance) he quickly learned Wall Street wasn’t particularly friendly to “young up-and-comers” so, he took a job as an insurance claims adjuster in Bellevue, Washington. While he liked helping his clients, he was not excited about some of the negative aspects of the insurance industry or the low pay that he experienced while doing this job. From there, Stephen moved on to working in sales until his late 20’s.
When Stephen was a little older, he went back to his original becoming a stock broker career goal. Consequently, after being a financial adviser at Morgan Stanley he became a stock broker. He continued working his childhood dream job for three years, until the market took a turn for the worse.
At this point, Stephen made a shift to the Allstate company where he did both financial and insurance planning. As it turned out, he found this to be more enjoyable than being a stockbroker. This new insight led him to a position where he ran the financial service department for a local credit union in Washington. Eventually, Stephen came to another realization…he was getting tired of working for someone else and was ready to be his own boss.
This realization motivated him to start looking through the “want ads”. He came upon a District Manager position for Farmers Insurance. He was surprised to learn that he would be able to train for the position in Washington. Then, in search of better weather, found an opening in Santa Rosa, CA. Stephen worked in Santa Rosa for eight years—until he was ready to start his own agency.
In 2016, a Farmers Insurance agency in Elk Grove was put up for sale and Stephen bought it—making the goal of owning his own business, and helping clients find protection through insurance a reality. Stephen’s 2019 New Year’s resolution is to personally speak with each client (who have his name at the top of their Farmers Insurance statement), so he can help them make sure they are “correctly covered for their needs for the least expensive price.” You may not have considered this, but as your life circumstances change so should your insurance.
Even if you don’t find Stephen Baker’s name on your insurance statement, Stephen recommends you make an appointment to talk to your insurance agent so you can feel confident in the coverage you have, knowing it’s right for you at this stage in your life. Don’t have an insurance agent you can get a hold of? Make an appointment with Stephen so he can help you get the insurance protection you need.
As Stephen reflected on his childhood experience with bullies, he remembers wishing there had been someone there who could have stood up for him and protected him in those situations. As a Farmers Insurance agent, Stephen takes his job of properly protecting his clients very seriously. “I love what I do - I won’t do anything else!” says Stephen emphatically.
Myths & Mysteries in the World of Insurance -
What’s Fact? What’s Fiction?
If that other company can save me 15%, why wouldn’t I choose them?
Have you checked if the cheaper company will let you choose the auto body shop you want, if you are in a car accident? The adage: “You Get What You Pay For” is often true when it comes to insurance. Sure, you might not pay as much up front, but you may be in for some disappointments later if your policy doesn’t allow you to use the service providers you would like.
I keep hearing about this “Accident Forgiveness” insurance deal - can I get that?
If you live in Elk Grove the answer is NO. You may not have realized this, but California is the most restrictive state in the nation when it comes to insurance policies. If you are seeing or hearing ads from national insurance companies, there is a very real chance that what they are advertising isn’t available in California. That is just one of many reasons it is so important to develop a relationship with a knowledgeable local insurance agent who understands both your specific needs—as well as how those needs can be met under California state law.
“I don’t have to worry, I already have insurance.”
“Not Necessarily So…” Do you know exactly what your policy does and does not cover? Just because you have homeowners’ insurance, you probably aren’t covered if your home suffers a flood or earthquake. If you want coverage for these catastrophes, you will need to add additional policies. Again, working with a knowledgeable insurance agent is the safest way to rest assured you are fully protected.
You can’t make changes on your policy after an incident - only before “Fix it NOW - you never know when something will happen.”
Farmers Insurance - Stephen Baker
(916) 686-8000 https://agents.farmers.com/ca/elk-grove/stephen-baker
8896 Southside Ave. Ste 100 Elk Grove, CA 95624
Susie Franklin Roeser is the owner & full time employee of Gifts From The Heart Of Elk Grove. Daughter, Sister, Wife, Mom x2, Carpool Minivan driver, 4-H Leader and lover of all things creative.
This story first appeared in Ardent
for Life Winter 2019 issue.