About Insurance Blog by Chris

Chris Huntley, Founder & Published Insurance Expert

I started Insurance Blog by Chris™ because I have a passion for insurance. Here at the blog, our job is to educate and inform people about the best insurance for them.

Since then, we have grown into national brands with a large team of researchers helping people understand all forms of insurance.

Chris Abrams, Licensed Insurance Agent

Chris is the founder of Abrams Insurance Solutions and Marcan Insurance, which provide personal financial analysis and planning services for families and small businesses across the U.S. His companies represent nearly 100 of the top-rated insurance companies.

Chris has been a licensed life and health insurance agent since 2009 and has active insurance licenses in all 50 U.S. states and D.C. Chris works tirelessly with clients nationwide to help them navigate the insurance and financial world. His mission is to help people and businesses have the protection they need at the lowest possible price.

Adam Lubenow, Medicare Broker

Adam Lubenow is a partner in his family business, Senior Advisor, which specializes in bringing clarity to the Medicare enrollment process and coverage options to ensure that clients are making informed decisions. Senior Advisors is licensed to help clients in over 40 states and has offices in Arizona and New Jersey.

Prior to joining the family business, Adam spent his career with Verizon Business, Cisco Systems, Salesforce, and Microsoft. Adam takes pride in explaining complex solutions in a simple manner, which translates well with regard to helping people with Medicare. Adam finds it very fulfilling to help people understand Medicare and all of their coverage options, while ensuring that they have the best pricing available for their coverage.

Ty Stewart, Licensed Insurance Agent

Ty Stewart is the founder and CEO of SimpleLifeInsure.com. He started researching and studying about life insurance when he got his first policy for his own family. He has been featured as a life insurance expert speaker at agent conventions and in top publications. 

As an independent licensed life insurance agent, he has helped clients nationwide to secure affordable coverage while making the process simple. When he bought his first insurance policy, he saw the need to bring more information about the process to others. His mission is to get his clients the lowest rates on insurance to protect their families.

Schimri Yoyo, Licensed Agent & Financial Advisor

Schimri Yoyo is a financial advisor with active life and health insurance licenses in seven states and over 20 years of experience. During his career, he has held roles at Foresters Financial, Strayer University, Minnesota Life, Securian Financial Services, Delaware Valley Advisors, Bridgemark Wealth Management, and Fidelity. 

Schimri is an educator eager to assist individuals and families in achieving their own financial success stories. He has been featured in several publications, including Sophisticated Investor, RocketHQ, DivorceMag, Exercise.com, and Insurance.com.

Jeffrey Manola, Licensed Insurance Agent

Jeffrey Manola is an experienced life insurance agent who founded TopQuoteLifeInsurance.com and NoMedicalExamQuotes.com. His mission when creating these sites was to provide online consumers searching for life insurance with the most affordable term life insurance, permanent life insurance, no medical exam life insurance, and burial insurance.

Not only does he strive to provide consumers with the best prices for life insurance coverage, but he also wants those on the market for insurance to be well-informed about the different types of life insurance options that are available. His goal is to provide readers with all the information necessary to make a confident insurance investment.

Ted Patestos, Licensed Insurance Adjuster

Theodore (Ted) Patestos is a seasoned innovator and policyholder advocate in the public adjusting industry. With a career dedicated to turning data into actionable insights, Ted has championed tools and strategies that improve transparency, efficiency, and outcomes for both consumers and adjusters. He developed Claim Machine, a platform that uses weather data to help public adjusters, contractors, and restoration firms identify impacted properties.

In 2023, Ted co-founded Tiger Adjusters, the first tech-enabled public adjusting franchise in the U.S. The company brings together experienced insurance professionals to support homeowners and businesses through the claims process, with a mission rooted in ethical advocacy and innovation. Under Ted’s leadership, Tiger Adjusters has recovered millions in settlements for clients across the country.

Scott W. Johnson, Licensed Insurance Agent

Scott W Johnson is an independent insurance agent in California. Principal Broker and founder of Marindependent Insurance Services, Scott brings over 25 years of experience to his clients. His Five President’s Council awards prove he uses all he learned at Avocet, Sprint Nextel, and Farmers Insurance to the benefit of his clients.

Scott quickly grasped the unique insurance requirements of his clients along the mountains, coast, and flood plains of California. He enjoys working with start-ups and conducting small business risk analysis. He sells all lines of coverage including property, life, health, casualty, earthquake, and flood insurance.

Kristen Gryglik, Licensed Insurance Agent

Kristen is a licensed insurance agent working in the greater Boston area. She has over 20 years of experience counseling individuals and businesses on which insurance policies best fit their needs and budgets. She knows everyone has their own unique needs and circumstances, and she is passionate about counseling others on which policy is right for them.

Licensed in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and Florida, Kristen has over 15 years of experience working in the insurance industry. She currently works for Liberty Mutual as a Resident Sales Representative providing auto, home, and life insurance policies and counseling in personal finance and retirement planning.

Aaron Englard, Insurance Premium Auditor

With over a decade of experience in insurance premium auditing, audit department management, and business audit representation, Aaron has developed a deep understanding of audit regulations, compliance requirements, and industry best practices. As the Founder & CEO of AdvoQates, he specializes in representing businesses during their audits to ensure accurate, transparent, and fair assessments from insurance companies.

Aaron is also the Founder & Managing Partner of STAY E LLC, an industry-leading firm providing premium audit educational services to auditors, vendors, and insurance companies. He brings expertise in audit training, field auditing, compliance oversight, and audit operations, having successfully led teams and developed programs that improve accuracy and compliance across the industry.

Jimmy McMillan, Licensed Insurance Agent

Jimmy McMillan is an entrepreneur and the founder of HeartLifeInsurance.com, an independent life insurance brokerage. His company specializes in life insurance for people with heart problems. He knows personally how difficult it is to secure health and life insurance after a heart attack.

Jimmy is a licensed insurance agent from coast to coast who has been featured on ValientCEO and the podcast Modern Life Insurance Selling Podcast. He has successfully approved cases with difficult heart issues and has been a life insurance advocate for many years.

Daniel Walker, Licensed Insurance Agent

Daniel Walker graduated with a BS in Administrative Management in 2005 and has run his family’s insurance agency, FCI Agency, for over 15 years (BBB A+). He is licensed as an insurance agent to write property and casualty insurance, including home, life, auto, umbrella, and dwelling fire insurance. He’s also been featured on sites like Reviews.com and Safeco.

To ensure our content is accurate and up-to-date, Daniel reviews and fact-checks hundreds of insurance articles each month. He is passionate about helping consumers make the best decisions when choosing their insurance coverage. His mission is to guarantee the information you receive on our site regarding insurance rates and policy advice is accurate, evidence-based, current, and trustworthy.

Michael Leotta, Insurance Operations Specialist

Michael earned a degree in Business Management with an insurance focus, which led to a successful 25-year career in insurance claims operations and support. He possesses a high-level of business acumen across multiple areas of the insurance industry. Over the course of his career, he served in multiple roles supporting claims operations including: Claims Specialist, Claims Trainer, Claim Automation & Procedures Specialist, and Process Analyst.

His primary areas of expertise are in complex insurance claim handling with a litigation focus, claims training, jurisdictional guidelines, process improvement, and data analytics. Michael has developed a keen understanding of the insurance industry, and well-rounded general business proficiency.

Tim Bain, Licensed Insurance Agent

Tim Bain is a licensed life insurance agent with 23 years of experience helping people protect their families and businesses with term life insurance. 

His insurance expertise has been featured in several publications, including Investopedia and eFinancial. He also does digital marking and analysis for KPS/3, a communications and marking firm located in Nevada. 

William Lemmon, Principal Broker

William Lemmon has been a licensed insurance agent for over 12 years. He is the principal broker and owner of Broadway Insurance Services in Los Angeles, CA. He works one-on-one with clients to create personalized plans that minimize risk and maximize savings. Being one of the foremost authorities on Airbnb and home-sharing property insurance, Lemmon offers his clients first-hand guidance on how to avoid insurance pitfalls.

His agency has provided coverage for thousands of property owners throughout CA, OH, NC, and FL. Specializing in hotels, lodging, vacation rentals, home-sharing, and short-term rental properties, Broadway Insurance Services has been a top-rated provider on Yelp, Google, and BBB for over five years. Find Lemmon and his agency featured on Shoutout LA, Axos Bank, and Yahoo.

Eric Stauffer, Licensed Insurance Agent

Eric Stauffer is an insurance agent and banker-turned-consumer advocate. His priority is educating individuals and families about the different types of insurance coverage. He is passionate about helping consumers find the best coverage for their budgets and personal needs.

Eric is the CEO of C Street Media, a full-service marketing firm and the co-founder of ProperCents.com, a financial education platform focused on helping individuals and families learn proper money management. Eric holds accidental, health, life, casualty, and property insurance licenses in the state of California.

Travis Thompson, Licensed Insurance Agent

Travis Thompson has been a licensed insurance agent for nearly five years. After obtaining his life and health insurance licenses, he began working for Symmetry Financial Group as a State Licensed Field Underwriter. In this position, he learned the coverage options and limits surrounding mortgage protection. He advised clients on the coverage needed to protect them in the event of a death, critical illness, or disability.

In 2021, Travis began working as an independent broker. Since going independent, Travis has extended his licensing across several states along the East Coast to the Midwest. Travis also has access to over 10 top-rated life insurance carriers in the U.S. that can offer clients the best coverage possible. He currently specializes in mortgage protection, life insurance, critical illness, and disability coverage.

Michael Vereecke, Commercial Lines Coverage Specialist

Michael Vereecke is the president of Customers First Insurance Group. He has been a licensed insurance agent for over 13 years. He also carries a Commercial Lines Coverage Specialist (CLCS) Designation, providing him the expertise to spot holes in businesses’ coverage.

Since 2009, he has worked with many insurance providers, giving him unique insight into the insurance market, differences in coverage forms, and the best training available.

Michael is a member of the Macomb Family Services Board, the Anchor Bay Chamber, and MIPIA (Michigan Association of Professional Insurance Agents).

Heidi Mertlich, Licensed Insurance Agent

Heidi works with top-rated life insurance carriers to bring her clients the highest quality protection at the most competitive prices. She founded NoPhysicalTermLife.com, specializing in life insurance that doesn’t require a medical exam. Heidi is a regular contributor to several insurance websites, including FinanceBuzz.com, Insurist.com, and Forbes.

As a parent herself, she understands the need families have to keep their families financially safe, regardless of what life brings. Her goal is to make the process of obtaining life insurance as simple as possible and provide insurance consumers the peace of mind they deserve. 

Tracey L. Wells, Licensed Insurance Agent & Agency Owner

Tracey L. Wells is a licensed insurance agent and Farmers insurance agency owner with 23 years of experience. He is proud to be a local Farmers agent serving Grayson, Georgia and surrounding areas. With experience as both an underwriter and agent, he provides his customers with insight that others agents may not have.

His agency offers all lines of insurance including home, life, auto, RV, business, and pet insurance. Tracey specializes in commercial, rideshare, worker’s compensation, and liability insurance. A proud United States Navy veteran, Tracey had the opportunity to protect our Nation’s freedoms while traveling to over 25 countries.

Rachael Brennan, Licensed Insurance Agent

Rachael Brennan has been working in the insurance industry since 2006 when she began working as a licensed insurance representative for 21st Century Insurance, during which time she earned her Property and Casualty license in all 50 states.

After several years she expanded her insurance expertise, earning her license in Health and AD&D insurance as well. She has worked for small health insurance exchanges as well as some of the biggest health insurance companies in the nation, including Blue Cross Blue Shield. After deciding to pursue a writing career several years ago, she has circled back to the insurance industry.

Brad Larson, Licensed Insurance Agent

Brad Larson has been in the insurance industry for over 16 years. He specializes in helping clients navigate the claims process, with a particular emphasis on coverage analysis. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah in Political Science. He also holds an Associate in Claims (AIC) and Associate in General Insurance (AINS) designations, as well as a Utah Property and Casualty license.

Brad started out as a claims adjuster for a national carrier and has since switched to the agency side of the insurance business. He is an experienced Director of Operations skilled in negotiation, employment practices, liability, and fraud detection. Brad is licensed in all P&C lines.

Brandon Frady, Licensed Insurance Agent

Brandon Frady has been a licensed insurance agent and insurance office manager since 2018. He has experience in ventures from retail to finance, working positions from cashier to management, but it wasn’t until Brandon started working in the insurance industry that he truly felt at home in his career. In his day-to-day interactions, he aims to live out his business philosophy in how he treats his customers.

Auto and property insurance are often legally required products, so no one is excited to purchase them. This is why Brandon’s approach to selling insurance is fully customer-centric. His goal is to provide the highest quality insurance customers can confidently purchase and then leave to work its magic protecting their investments. Brandon avoids cold calling and pressuring customers to purchase. Instead, he relies on referrals, insurance education, and exceptional customer service.

Brett Surbey, Corporate Paralegal

Brett Surbey is a corporate paralegal specializing in tax reorganizations and the creation of corporations so they can successfully navigate all aspects of their business and mitigate risks where necessary. He has assisted lawyers on a number of enigmatic transactions, including M&As, complex corporate succession plans, and amalgamations.

In addition to his legal career, he is a known expert published for his work on topics surrounding insurance, mortgages, and business. His professional writing has appeared in publications such as Forbes Advisor, U.S. News & World Report, Industry West Magazine, Publishers Weekly, and various academic journals.

Michelle Robbins, Licensed Insurance Agent

Michelle Robbins has been a licensed insurance agent for over 13 years. Her career began in the real estate industry, supporting local realtors with Title Insurance. After several years, Michelle shifted to real estate home warranty insurance, where she managed a territory of over 100 miles of real estate professionals. Later, Agent Robbins obtained more licensing and experience serving families and individuals to secure their investments and families with life insurance protection.  

Most notably, throughout her career, she has assisted many individuals in difficult times of need as a family service counselor with several funeral homes, mortuaries, and memorial parks in California. This experience resulted in a natural progression into health and disability insurance. Today, Agent Robbins’ licensing extends across many states from the west coast to the east coast. She is licensed in life, health, Medicare, disability, and property & casualty insurance.

Justin Wright, Licensed Insurance Agent

Justin Wright has been a licensed insurance broker for over 9 years. After graduating from Southeastern Seminary with a Masters in Philosophy, Justin started his career as a professor, teaching Philosophy and Ethics. Later, Justin obtained both his Property & Casualty license and his Life and Health license and began working for State Farm and Allstate.

In 2020, Justin began working as an independent broker. Since going independent, Justin has extended his licensing across several states along the East Coast to Midwest. He currently specializes in life insurance, annuities, and health insurance, including Long Term Care insurance. He still maintains his Property & Casualty license as well.

Jeff Root, Licensed Insurance Agent

Jeff is a well-known speaker and expert in life insurance and financial planning. He has spoken at top insurance conferences around the U.S., including the InsuranceNewsNet Super Conference, the 8% Nation Insurance Wealth Conference, and the Digital Life Insurance Agent Mastermind. He has been featured and quoted in Nerdwallet, Bloomberg, Forbes, U.S. News & Money, USA Today, and other leading finance websites.

Licensed in all 50 states and D.C., Jeff is a life insurance agent who has helped over 3,000 people secure life insurance policies to protect their legacy. Jeff is the author of The Digital Life Insurance Agent and a host of the podcast Modern Life Insurance Selling Podcast, where he trains other life insurance agents. Jeff has qualified for MDRT (Million Dollar Round Table) every year since 2009, putting him in the top 1% of financial professionals in the nation.

Dani Best, Licensed Insurance Producer

Dani Best has been a licensed insurance producer for nearly 10 years. Dani began her insurance career in a sales role with State Farm in 2014. During her time in sales, she graduated with her Bachelors in Psychology from Capella University and is currently earning her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. Since 2014, Dani has held and maintains licenses in Life, Disability, Property, and Casualty.

Dani has worked for two State Farm agencies and was the top life insurance producer in both offices. Dani has extensive experience with life, home and auto insurance, disability policies, and how individual insurance coverages work. She is also trained in financial services provided by State Farm, such as cash back rewards and credit cards, checking and savings accounts, and home and auto loans. She applies her drive to help others to her approach with insurance, using her expertise to make difficult topics and situations less complex and stressful.

Zach Fagiano, Licensed Insurance Broker

Zach Fagiano has been in the insurance industry for over 10 years, specializing in property and casualty and risk management consulting. He started out specializing in small businesses and moved up to large commercial real estate risks. During that time, he acquired property & casualty, life & health, and surplus lines brokers licenses. He’s now the Senior Vice President overseeing global risk management consulting.

Zach is a subject matter expert and has spent much of his career focused on catastrophic modeling, captive management, and strategic risk management for large public and private investment companies, hedge funds, and risk management for a publicly traded large retailer. When not working in risk and insurance, Zach can be found restoring classic cars and running in endurance races.

Kalyn Johnson, Insurance Claims Support & Sr. Adjuster

Kalyn grew up in an insurance family with a grandfather, aunt, and uncle leading successful careers as insurance agents. She soon found she has similar interests and followed in their footsteps. After spending about ten years working in the insurance industry as both an appraiser dispatcher and a senior property claims adjuster, she decided to combine her years of insurance experience with another passion, writing.

As an insurance writer and researcher, she specializes in real estate, healthcare, finance, and all lines of insurance. When Kalyn isn’t writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their four children.

Jeffrey Johnson, Insurance Lawyer

Jeffrey Johnson is a legal writer with a focus on personal injury. He has worked on personal injury and sovereign immunity litigation in addition to experience in family, estate, and criminal law. He earned a J.D. from the University of Baltimore and has worked in legal offices and non-profits in Maryland, Texas, and North Carolina.

He has also earned an MFA in screenwriting from Chapman University and worked in film, education, and publishing. His professional writing has appeared on sites such as Legal Advice, The Manifest, and Vice. He is the author of a novel and several scripts that were adapted into short films.

Angie Watts, Licensed Real Estate Agent

Angie Watts is a licensed real estate agent with Florida Executive Realty. Specializing in residential properties since 2015, Angie is a real estate writer who published a book educating homeowners on how to make the most money when they sell their homes. Her goal is to educate and empower both home buyers and sellers so they can have a stress-free shopping and/or selling process.

She has studied and written on topics including market conditions, mortgage trends, first-time home purchases, and buying new construction. In addition to real estate, Angie has a strong background in both insurance and finance. She studied Business Marketing at Waukesha County Technical College and draws upon 20 years of sales and marketing experience in all facets of her professional career.

Diego Anderson, Licensed Real Estate Agent

Diego Anderson is a Real Estate Agent based in the Bay Area of California. Having received his Real Estate License at the age of 18, he wasted no time learning the ins and outs of the industry. With a focus on residential dual agency, he has a passion for supporting and educating families on their home buying and selling decisions. He is no stranger to new builds and new developments.

He also runs a successful Visual Design business. This helps him implement popular, modern aesthetics into his listings. Utilizing both of these talents has allowed him to not only beautify his own design materials but also provide templates and training for his peers. His graphic design work and insurance and real estate advice have been featured on many sites.

Steve Crowell, Mortgage Loan Originator

Steve Crowell is a New Hampshire based mortgage loan originator with Luminate Home Loans, Inc. After graduating from the University of New Hampshire in 2003 with a BS in Business and Economics and a BA in History, he went on to get his broker license in 2005. In 2021, he was recognized as a Luminate Home Loans “Circle of Excellence” top agent.

Steve works as a trusted resource for clients who are looking into buying or refinancing a home. He ensures that his clients are educated throughout the loan process and loves applying his knowledge and wealth of experience to unique situations. Not only does he help his customers get the best mortgage products for their needs, but he also provides them with a fun, informative, and effortless experience.

Laura Kuhl, Managing Content Editor

Laura Kuhl holds a Master’s Degree in Professional Writing from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Her career began in healthcare and wellness, creating lifestyle content for doctors, dentists, and other healthcare and holistic professionals.

In 2018, she started writing for the cannabis industry. She curated news articles and insider interviews with investors and small business owners, leading to conversations with key players in the legal and insurance industries.

For the past five years, Laura has worked with insurance industry professionals across multiple markets, including business, auto, and life insurance, to create content that is accessible to everyone. She believes insurance does not need to be complicated and continues to create content that is straightforward, unpretentious, and jargon-free.

Melissa Morris, Professor of Nutrition & Kinesiology

Melissa Morris has a BS and MS in exercise science and a doctorate in educational leadership. She is an ACSM certified exercise physiologist and an ISSN certified sports nutritionist. She teaches nutrition and applied kinesiology at the University of Tampa.

She has been featured on Yahoo, HuffPost, Eat This, Bulletproof, LIVESTRONG, Toast Fried, The Trusty Spotter, Best Company, Healthline, Popsugar, She Knows, and Badass Body Project.

Ashley Dannelly, University Professor and Personal Trainer

Ashley Dannelly has a Master of Arts in English and teaches English at Columbia International University and other higher education institutions. She is also a certified personal trainer with the American Council on Exercise and trains clients in both individual and group settings.

Ashley’s background in English and fitness has allowed her the opportunity to write and create content for many different publications, such as Shout! Outdoor Lifestyle Magazine, The Greenville News, NewSpring Church Media, and more.

If she isn’t teaching English or training clients, you can find Ashley writing, lifting weights, or playing with her kids.

Laura D. Adams, Insurance & Finance Analyst

Laura Adams is one of the nation’s leading finance, insurance, and small business authorities. As an award-winning author, spokesperson, and host of the top-rated Money Girl podcast since 2008, millions of readers, listeners, and loyal fans benefit from her practical advice.

As a professional accountant and financial analyst for several companies, Laura is a trusted source on various finance topics for TV, radio, online articles, and print publications. She’s been featured on major news outlets, including FOX Business, AP News, Apartment Therapy, Go Banking Rates.

Shawn Laib, Insurance and Finance Writer

Since graduating from the University of WA with a B.A. in English Literature, Shawn has been professionally writing in the spheres of entertainment, insurance, business, marketing, and politics. He is passionate about using his writing skills and insurance knowledge to educate the general population on everyday issues surrounding these misunderstood topics.

His work has been published on SUPERJUMP, FanFare, Den of Geek, and Amplihigher. Many industry leaders have quoted Shawn on topics surrounding finance, business, human resources, real estate, and automobiles including Bloomberg, Lifewire, and Yahoo.

Tonya Sisler, Content Team Lead

Tonya Sisler has been a technical insurance writer for over five years. She uses her extensive insurance and finance knowledge to write informative articles that answer readers’ top questions. Her mission is to provide readers with timely, accurate information that allows them to determine their insurance needs and choose the best coverage. 

Tonya currently leads a team of 10 insurance copywriters and works closely with them on industry research and content creation. Tonya has a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of South Carolina in Journalism and has worked for over 15 years in management roles.

Merriya Valleri, Expert Insurance Writer

Merriya Valleri is a skilled insurance writer with over a decade of professional writing experience. Merriya has a strong desire to make understanding insurance an easy task while providing readers with accurate and up-to-date information. Merriya has written articles focusing on health, life, and auto insurance.

She enjoys working in the insurance field, and is constantly learning in order to keep up with the current, ever-chaning market. Merriya has a Bachelor’s Degree in Writing, using her skills to promote educational experiences for her readers.