Chris Willaert Insurance Agency
Photo: Jonathan Smith
Chris Willaert Insurance Agency
He’s taken a few detours along the way, but Chris Willaert knows all the twists and turns eventually led him in the right direction: back to Mankato and back to helping people. He grew up in Mankato but attended school at the University of St. Thomas and spent a decade in the Twin Cities, before returning home.
“In 2010 I went to work for a local insurance agency and learned the insurance industry. I wrote home and auto insurance, as well as commercial, and also a lot of life insurance and financial services. I loved working with people from all different backgrounds and getting to know my clients. Learning about what’s important to them and what they are really trying to protect. To many people, insurance is ‘just something they have to have’ but I help them understand why they really need it, in addition to how the pieces fit together,” Willaert explains.
In 2015 he took a detour from the financial world and accepted the position of Director for the Mankato Sports Commission. He enjoyed it, however, after a couple years found himself wanting to be back in the private sector and specifically the insurance world.
“Four years ago I found myself strapped into Mayo One being flown to Mayo in Rochester for what was emergency and lifesaving open heart surgery. Of course, I didn’t want to die. Nobody does. But when you’ve had an experience like that you realize the true reason for life insurance,” he explains.
So in fall 2018, he opened his own Farmers Insurance office, partly because it’s a well-known national brand. But mostly because of its culture.
“As I researched them I realized they were known for phenomenal customer service, believe heavily in community involvement and have outstanding products. I have a passion for helping people and that’s my simple goal with every client I meet with. Some people I’m helping directly by protecting the things that matter most to them and others I’m helping by being involved in the community.”
A community Willaert is proud to call home.
“As a kid growing up, you don’t see the things that make this place special but after being away for a number of years I realized how special it is,” he says. “Maybe it’s just who I’ve surrounded myself with but what I’ve found is that people in this community truly do care about the community. That’s why I’m committed to giving back. In a few short months of having our agency open, we’ve been involved, whether it be as a volunteer or sponsor of various things, including United Way and the YWCA’s Girls on the Run. Farmers fully supports all of this.”
Chris Willaert Insurance Agency
1901 Madison Ave, Suite 130
Phone: 507-345-8888
