Russell Fraser knows from experience the importance of having a good insurance policy—and a broker you can trust. The President and founder of Nickel City Insurance Brokers suffered a traumatic accident that resulted in the loss of his right eye.
“Thankfully, I had a great auto insurance policy, but more importantly, a great broker. He fought very hard for me to make sure I received all of the benefits that my policy offered. This is what made the difference and what motivated me to pursue a career in the insurance industry. I wanted to make that same difference in other people’s lives” he says.
“My story is not an isolated one. There are so many people who are injured every day in auto accidents and need a strong advocate,” he says. “Naturally, you would think the insurance broker’s job is to step in and help after the accident, which often happens, but the best brokers are those who step in before an accident.”
Fraser and his team make sure that their clients know and understand all of their coverage options, so they can make informed choices which can greatly impact their lives.
“Although it’s unfortunate that auto accidents and property claims do occur, we pride ourselves on stepping up to the plate for our clients during these stressful and difficult times,” he says.
The broker strongly believes that having the right team in your corner at all times will make that difference that can change a life, because that’s what he experienced personally.
All about family
Fraser’s story is also all about family. He comes from a tight-knit family, with two very loving and hard-working parents, who instilled strong core values in both himself and his brother at a very young age. Raising the Fraser boys to understand the importance of honesty, loyalty and hard-work surely paid off.
Born and raised in Sudbury, Fraser obtained his business degree in Michigan and moved to South Florida where he met and married the love of his life. When the couple began thinking about starting a family, they knew finding the right place was important.
“This is when I knew I was coming back home to Sudbury—the place that shares the same values we wanted to raise our children with. It’s not just the place, but the people too. We’re genuinely proud of what our community has to offer,” he says.
When Fraser moved back in 2008, he needed new home and auto insurance policies, so he spoke to a friend who had been working in the industry for decades. The insurance world, his friend said, gives you the opportunity to make a real difference in peoples’ lives and he found his career quite rewarding. Fraser was intrigued, as this really aligned with his own personal values, and he believed this was his chance to be able to make a difference.
“The help I received from my insurance broker really did change my life, and I knew this was my golden opportunity to help change other people’s lives too, for the best,” says Fraser. From that day forward he began nine months of expert training, fell in love with the insurance business, and launched his career.
Protecting others
He opened his first brokerage in March of 2009, alongside two other, seasoned brokers. In 2011, he opened another brokerage in Toronto, which focused on group insurance throughout Ontario and Atlantic Canada.
In early 2015, he opened Nickel City Insurance Brokerage, amalgamating all of these businesses. Thanks to the team’s diverse backgrounds and range of experience, they have really excelled over the years.
Nickel City Insurance Brokers is one of only a few remaining local family-owned brokerages in Sudbury and offers over 125 years of combined insurance knowledge. The business is based on the bedrock principles of real-life experience, knowledge, trust, honesty and humility. They are also known for the personal approach they take with clients, treating them just as they would members of their own family.
“Family comes first,” says Fraser, “and at NCIB our clients are an extension of our family.” Perhaps that’s why Nickel City has been voted Sudbury’s favourite insurance brokerage firm, winning the coveted Reader’s Choice Award three years in a row.
Says Fraser, “Starting a business here was more than an entrepreneurial endeavour; it was about being able to give back to the place that’s given so much to us.”
For more information, visit Nickel City Insurance Brokers or call 705-566-6715.