Employee Well-Being Is a Priority at Prestige
Finding insurance coverage for trucking firms could be considered a high-stress occupation. With the rise of nuclear lawsuit verdicts and “big-truck attorneys,” escalating premiums, and new state laws and regulations, it’s a lot to think about. But the challenges have not kept Prestige Trucking Insurance in Tamarac, Florida, from keeping its focus on the drivers behind the wheel — and on its employees.
“We prioritize our employee’s well-being by offering flexible work arrangements that cater to individual needs,” said agency owner Christina Downs. “We also renovated our office to include amenities that benefit our mental and physical health, which is very important to us all.”
The agency’s 67 employees seem to appreciate its priorities — so much so that Prestige was named Insurance Journal’s 2024 Gold winner for Best Agency to Work For in the Southeast. The company received multiple, favorable comments from staff members and scored highly in the categories of working conditions and benefits.
“Prestige is an excellent company to work for. The work environment along with the people are all great,” one agency employee wrote in comments submitted in IJ’s Best Agencies to Work For survey. “Our leadership is dedicated to transparent communication and provides ample opportunities for career advancement. Employees are encouraged to pursue their passions and develop new skills through frequent trainings.”
Said another: “We are not the typical agency; we are a family.”
“I have worked for several insurance agencies,” another staffer noted. “All of these were strictly focused on the number of policies an agent would bind. These agencies did not have the knowledge, talent and departmentalization like Prestige Trucking. The owner places a premium on the well-being of its staff and producers. The amenities provided to the employees are unsurpassed, from birthdays to work anniversary recognitions and celebrations, this agency wants its employees and clients alike to feel special.”
Downs founded Prestige a decade ago — September 2024 marked its 10th anniversary.
“The best advice I would give is to prioritize your employees,” Downs said. “Build trust, have open communication and transparency. Create an environment where your employees look forward to coming in every day, and offer flexibility.”
Downs and Missy Fernandez, director of finance for the agency, said that focus on a healthy, happy workforce has translated directly into professional service for clients. Prestige believes strongly in providing the “Disney experience” for policyholders — exceptional customer service that accommodates clients’ changing needs — that was explained in “The Experience,” a book written by Bruce Loeffler and Brian Church.
Downs said it all began for her at an early age, when she worked at a dealership.
“I quickly fell in love with helping people and explaining coverages,” Downs said. “I now sell commercial trucking insurance and enjoy it so much because I love helping and getting to know our truckers and assisting them to grow their business.”
Going forward, Downs said trucking insurance brokers and agents face some challenges, but the team is ready.
“I would say some of the challenges are the rising insurance costs, the regulatory changes, talent acquisition and retention,” the owner noted. “We meet these challenges by building strong relationships with our MGAs and finance companies, which grants our agency leverage to negotiate competitive rates and APRs. We do our best to keep our clients educated on risk management strategies that ultimately minimize their chance of a claim.”