By Chad Koenen

Publisher

There is something calming about a familiar voice on the other end of the line during a time of need—and insurance is no different. 

After all, insurance is the type of thing people purchase that they hope they never have to use as it typically marks a challenging time like a motor vehicle accident or a fire that damages a family’s home. One thing that can make navigating an already challenging time a bit easier is a familiar voice on the other end of the line who can take care of all of the necessary paperwork to get a claim filed and begin the recovery process.

With ties to the area dating back to 1983, Lake Country Insurance provides a unique blend of big city offerings from a family-owned business that recognizes many of their customers by simply their voice on the phone. In fact, Lake Country Insurance prides itself on providing quality customer care and taking care of their customers from the time they get a quote on an insurance policy to even making a claim during a time of need.

That familiarity with their customers also helps staff members to ensure their customers are properly covered should an accident or emergency happen. While a number of online and 1-800 providers may claim to offer better coverage at a lower price, Lake Country Insurance owner Holly Barthel said that is not always the case. She said the independent insurance company in NY Mills can shop around to different carriers to find the correct coverage for local residents at an affordable price, while also ensuring people have the coverage they need should a tragedy strike.

“Most of the time you are getting better coverage,” said Barthel of being insured through an independent agency like Lake Country Insurance. “With the name your price (insurance) you might not know what you are getting, but here you are getting some extra service and advice that kind of knows the background too and can help guide the coverage you need.”

Of course when a claim needs to be filed, customers can simply call staff members at Lake Country Insurance who can file the claim, take care of necessary paperwork and let the person focus on the incident at hand—as opposed to spending hours on an 800 number to speak with a representative who has no idea where New York Mills or Otter Tail County is located. 

“We like to have people contact us versus the carrier directly, because we like to be involved in all aspects of the policy and serving the claims,” said Barthel. “Knowing what is going on and being able to provide that local service (is what sets Lake Country Insurance apart from other people).”

Lake Country Insurance insures everything from antique shops to liquor stores, cafes to farms, boats and motorcycles to vehicles. The goal, of course, is to provide personalized service to people throughout the region. As an independent insurance company, Lake Country Insurance can provide insurance from a number of companies who all have unique options to fit the needs of just about anyone in the region.

With a number of insurance companies at their disposal, like Prairie Pine and Sverdup Mutual, as well as Auto Owners, North Star, RAM Mutual and Progressive, there is a chance that Lake Country Insurance can save new and existing customers money on their monthly bill.

Barthel said even people who do not currently have insurance through Lake Country Insurance can call the locally owned company to check and see what other options are available for their insurance needs. As an independent insurance company, Lake Country Insurance can shop around for customers to see what insurance company would make the most sense for customers, as opposed to being locked into one company that it can offer to individuals and businesses.

In fact, Barthel said with insurance rates constantly changing, it never hurts to call and review an insurance policy with an agent like those at Lake Country Insurance. While insurance rates have went up significantly for people over the past few years, Barthel said some of the rates have calmed down a bit and are not going up as much as they have in recent years, making now a good time to explore what options are available for new and existing customers.

“The rates have gone up significantly so we have done a lot of comparisons. Being an independent agency we can shop and compare with different companies,” she said. 

Lake Country Insurance has deep ties in the greater New York Mills region. 

Barthel’s dad, Randy Stave, began Lake Country Insurance in 1983 in his house. In 1988 Stave merged his agency with Jim Nielsen’s New York Mills-based insurance agency. In 1995 Nielsen retired and Stave became 100 percent owner. Barthel purchased the business from her father approximately two years ago, but potential and existing clients can still expect to see many of the familiar faces they have grown accustomed to seeing over the years.

Stave retired from Lake Country Insurance in December, but Kathy Larson, Barthel and Shannon Gangruth are still located at the NY Mills office, while another agent is also located in the Verndale office. 

For more information about Lake Country Insurance, contact the NY Mills office at (218) 385-3989 and Verndale at (218) 445-5153.