Paul Thompson
Northeast News

Shelter Insurance agent Sam Davis is more than 25 years into his career, and he isn’t showing signs of slowing down. He typically wakes up by 4:30 a.m., and is usually involved in some sort of activity by 6:30 a.m.

After a quarter-century in the industry, Davis remains excited about the future of his business. He’d like to expand across the state line into Kansas, and he’s recently buoyed his presence on social media. Davis says that he would like to keep working for another decade; that retirement is far from imminent.

To hear Davis tell it, retired life would simply be too boring.

“Most people my age are wanting to retire in the next three years or four years, but I’m like, ‘No!’ I enjoy the business, I’m helping people, I’m having fun at it; and what else am I going to do?” said Davis.

Early morning workouts certainly help Davis keep his youthful exuberance, but another activity that keeps Davis going strong is coaching. He’s coached softball since 1990, when his daughters started playing. Although they’re grown now, Davis still finds joy in the game.

“Very few people hang onto it after their kids are grown,” said Davis. “That’s the difference in me; I just look forward to it each and every year. Softball and work is what I’ve pretty much got going.”

On the business side, Davis is planning an ambitious foray into Kansas, where he hopes to focus on home, auto and life insurance. Davis also noted that Shelter Insurance has very competitive rates for rental properties – with insurance options for landlords and renters alike.

Davis prides himself on offering a personal touch to his clientele. He cares about ensuring that his clients buy what they actually need, and not just shoehorning them into every policy on the books. To Davis, the job is all about relationship-building.

“I’ve enjoyed the business for 25 years, and really enjoy getting to know people on a personal basis,” Davis said. “We like to ensure that you get personal service from our staff, and not from an answering machine.”

Moving forward, Davis hopes to expand his reach through social media. He has recently established social media pages on Facebook and Twitter, and hopes to soon expand his presence to also include Instagram and YouTube.

“It’s just a way of adding to that personal touch,” Davis said. “More and more people are relying on social media. It’s the future.”

Though he has ambitions to expand his business, Davis remains loyal to the Northeast even as he focuses on other communities. The Historic Northeast is where it all began, and it’s still his bread and butter.

“I pretty much started my business in the Northeast, and a lot of my business is still in the Northeast,” said Davis.

One of Davis’s trademarks for many years has been his business cards, which have holes punched into them. For Davis, the hole punches symbolize the holes that exist in many people’s insurance coverage. It’s just another way for Davis to get people thinking about protecting themselves from calamity.

“You may have holes in your insurance coverage, and you need to talk to an insurance professional that will see that you are protected correctly,” said Davis.

Now a veteran in the insurance business, Davis doesn’t take long to identify his favorite aspects of his line of work.

“It’s just the fact that I can help people, and making sure that they get the right kind of insurance,” he said. “I don’t want to just sell you something; I want to make sure that I sell you what you really need.”

“We try to meet your needs and take care of your needs, because if something does happen, you’re protected,” Davis added. “That’s what you really get out of this business. That’s what gives you gratitude in this business.”