In 1965, Ray Griffin embarked on a new venture, knocking on doors to introduce his offerings to potential clients. His initial focus was on life insurance, but recognizing the demand, he soon expanded into other lines of business.

Those humble roots are the foundation of what we know today as Griffin Insurance Agency. Their team of 10 individuals, with more than 180 years of combined experience, proudly serve clients in communities south of Atlanta.

Ray Griffin’s bold venture into the insurance industry laid the groundwork for what would become a family legacy. In 1986, his son, Keith, joined the agency. Working together they were able to achieve significant growth. Keith said “working with his father to grow the family business is one of the greatest joys of his life”.

The year 1999 marked a pivotal milestone for Griffin Insurance as they relocated to Stockbridge, GA. “Henry County, where Stockbridge is located, at the time, was one of the top ten fastest growing counties in the country, and it was for multiple years,” Keith said.

After moving Griffin Insurance embedded itself in its new community - fostering strong relationships with clients, bankers, real estate agents, accountants - a cornerstone of their continued success today.

“We’ve tried everything. We’ve done TV advertising. We’ve done radio advertising. We’ve done billboards…but your referral network is your gold,” Keith said. “When a big client sends their subcontractors to you, or when they send somebody in their peer group to you, it opens up the door.”

Once that door is open, Keith and his team ensure each client has exceptional service. “We provide the best service from the moment they speak to us,” Keith said. “Immediately we’re returning calls. Getting the quote out just as soon as possible…making sure you’ve taken care of everything.”

Griffin Insurance Agency takes communication seriously, offering visual breakdowns in their proposals and patiently answering clients’ questions.

“Anytime somebody is writing you a check, they need to know what everything is,” Keith said. “You’re dealing with people’s biggest assets. They have to know and trust that you understand the coverages they need. That you’ve got the experience in the markets to place those needs.”

According to Keith, experience is one of the many reasons he chooses to work with Columbia Insurance Group. “It is a combination of solid leadership, experienced underwriters, a competitive price and a quality online system. Right now, Columbia is lined up with all four of those and that combination of factors allows us to grow.” 

Keith said he is one of the biggest users of CIG’s TouchPoint system, which Michael G. Portanka, regional vice president, confirmed.
“Keith and his team have grown exponentially based on not only their willingness to embrace technology but provide valuable feedback to carriers on how to best align in the automated, low-touch small commercial market,” Portanka said. “We share similar strategic objectives in regard to delivering an exceptional customer experience while optimizing operational efficiency. It has been great to be a partner with Keith and his team.”

Keith highly recommends trying the TouchPoint system to other agencies. He said:

The TouchPoint product is super strong. It’s got it all for the small to somewhat mid-size accounts. We can rate anything. It doesn’t change the underwriting process. It just puts the burden of the data entry from the Company Level to the Agency Level, and then we control the timeline. 

We can assign somebody. The data gets put in… it takes that time consuming element away from a talented underwriter. They don’t need to be part of the data process, just reviewing the data.

That’s what makes TouchPoint so fabulous. They can review it, say yes or no, and move on. You are getting inundated with a lot of applications, and this is a way to move away from that; it pays massive dividends.

We swear by automation, so the TouchPoint program is excellent. It runs the MVRs [motor vehicle record]. It runs the claim history. It rates all the coverages that those folks need. It includes cyber, employee dishonesty, some of those little-known coverages that don’t get highlighted a lot. Then it offers a beautiful proposal with lots of payment options.