Harris Insurance Builds On Construction Experience

Throughout its history, Harris Insurance has been known for a service-first approach.

“We understand we’re not just selling a product, we’re contributing to the fulfillment of a promise”, says agency Vice President and co-owner Chris Summers. “Let’s face it, most commercial insurance buyers have not invested the time necessary to really gain a masterful understanding of how the products we sell work. Our focus has been to educate while building long-term, genuine partnerships with clients and carriers.”

As a result of this approach, the vast majority of the agency’s business is generated by referrals. “That’s a cornerstone of the success of the agency and a testament to our follow-through on the promises we make,” says agency President and co-owner Greg Harris. 

Building a Business 

Chris and Greg have been friends since they met in the second grade. They never expected they would end up in business together, and how they ended up doing so is a story in itself. 

Greg’s father, Jim Harris, operated Harris Insurance Services, Inc. from 1988 to 1998. In 1998, the agency was sold to a publicly traded insurance brokerage and the agency name was no longer used thereafter. Chris and Greg had both begun careers in the insurance industry and, after working in agencies for over 10 years, they decided to start their own agency in 2011. 

“You have no idea the amount of meetings, paperwork, coordination, and time involved to make this work, but it was worth it,” says Chris. When it came time to decide on the name of the new agency, it was discovered that the name Harris Insurance Services, Inc. was available, so it was acquired and re-activated.   

Today, Harris Insurance Services, Inc. writes a broad mix of P&C business and specializes in providing commercial insurance, health insurance, surety bonding, and risk management services to the construction industry. The agency is widely recognized for providing comprehensive insurance program design including risk management, risk assessment, and custom-tailored client service offerings.

“Nevada is growing year after year. Even with the pandemic, we continue to see an influx of people and businesses into the state. The additional population brings a corresponding need for housing, infrastructure, and more,” Greg says. 

“Because we specialize in construction, we have a better understanding of the urgency that is required to service contractors,” says Chris. “We know that when a customer wins a contract and needs to meet insurance requirements, time is of the essence. We prioritize it and make sure customers get what they need when they need it.”  

The staff at Harris Insurance are construction experts as well, and most account managers have had a lengthy tenure with the agency. “Customers can see and experience the expertise our people bring to the table,” Chris says. “Our people are invested in the success of the clients and their passion is apparent.”

The agency has had success at promoting from within and developing people to fill key roles. “We are always aware of the need to retain and maintain our key talent and continue their growth,” Greg says. “Agency technology is very important and we have done our part to remain relevant, but high-quality human capital is priceless.”

Top Tier

Harris Insurance sees continued growth opportunities in the construction sector in Nevada. “The landscape of the space is ever evolving, but we are cautiously optimistic,” Chris says. “We know we have to continually retool and reeducate ourselves to stay on top of trends in the sector while maintaining our top-tier service to clients.”

And although Chris and Greg have faced many challenges during their first decade in business together, the end result has been well worth the effort. “The first five years were full of challenges, but looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing,” says Greg. “It’s been a great ride so far.”