BEDFORD — For Angie Turner, running a small business is about more than insurance policies and paperwork. It is about knowing the people who walk through the door and being someone they can turn to when they need help.
As president of Thomas Insurance Services, Turner has built her career around that personal approach, helping families and businesses in Bedford and the surrounding communities navigate the often-complicated world of insurance.
Located at 1701 16th Street in Bedford, Thomas Insurance Services is an independent agency offering coverage for auto, home, life and business needs. Being an independent agency allows the office to work with multiple insurance carriers and look at different options for its customers.
But for Turner, the heart of the business is the relationship that develops between an agent and a customer.
“Being a business in Bedford means being able to be active in their [clients’] lives and actually know them, not as a policy number, but as a person,” said Turner.
Turner’s connection to the community also goes beyond the office. She has participated in efforts to recognize and support local workers, including presenting gift cards to employees of Bedford’s local JayC Foods as part of the Erie Agents Giving Back initiative.
“Being a business owner here in Bedford means that we take care of our own. We have a duty to be philanthropic and support the local charities that are here,” said Angie Turner. “We have a responsibility to take care of our clients because they are our neighbors, friends and relatives.”
Thomas Insurance Services involvement reflects the philosophy behind many locally owned businesses: when you work in a community, you also become part of that community.
Thomas Insurance Services has also remained connected to Bedford’s business community as a member of the Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce.
For Turner, being a woman business owner means having the opportunity to build something that serves people she sees every day, not just as customers, but as neighbors, friends and members of the same community.
Her story is a reminder that small businesses are often built one relationship at a time. Behind every policy is a person, a family, a home or a business, and Turner and her team work to make sure their customers have someone local they can call when they need guidance.
“It’s been an amazing pleasure to work with the community I was born and raised in. It’s been a great pleasure to develop relationships and provide the security that our policies provide to our people,” said Turner.
As Bedford celebrates Women’s Small Business Month, Turner represents the women who have chosen to put down roots, build their businesses and give back to the communities they call home.
Thomas Insurance Services is located at 1701 16th Street in Bedford and can be reached at 812-278-9505.
