REAL Exclusive Magazine

Purmort & Martin

The Value of Excellence

By Lalaena Gonzalez-Figueroa

A fixture within the communities of Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Purmort & Martin Insurance Agency is in the business of providing individuals and independent business owners with the information and professional consultation they require to protect their assets. But at its heart, the agency is so much more: it’s a locally-based group of highly qualified individuals committed to providing resources to the community they call home.

A native of Sarasota, Jamie Purmort is a fourth-generation insurance professional. While he grew up in the business, he didn’t launch his career after earning a Political Science degree from Lenoir Rhyne College. Instead, he served his country in the United States Marine Corps. When his active duty ended, Jamie accepted his father’s suggestion that he leverage his talents and experience in the insurance industry. There was an immediate connection. “I saw that I had the opportunity to help others, to protect them and to assist them in making the decisions that would best position them for ongoing success,” he recalls. “I was hooked.”

Jamie Purmort

In 2003 Jamie was deployed to Iraq and served as a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Upon his return in 2004, he and professional partner Russ Bobbitt acquired the agency.

Russ Bobbitt’s insurance career spans 23 years in the Sarasota market. Upon his graduation from the University of South Florida, Russ spent five years as a claims adjuster at RISCORP, a Sarasota based Worker’s Compensation carrier. While at RISCORP, he handled self-insured accounts for some of the largest public and private employers in Florida. He left the carrier side of insurance in 1997, when he became an Agent for Purmort, Martin, and Mercier Insurance Agency. In 2004, he became a partner in Purmort & Martin Insurance Agency. Russ has been a Florida licensed property and casualty agent since 1996 and also holds licenses in life, health, and surplus lines. In addition to his licenses, Russ also earned the advanced designations of Accredited Advisor of Insurance (AAI), Certified Worker’s Compensation Advisor (CWCA), and the Construction Risk Insurance Specialist (CRIS) designation. Russ has served on a number of boards in the area and is wrapping up his Chairmanship of the Gulf Coast Builders Exchange (GCBX), in February.

Russ Bobbitt

While Purmort & Martin established itself early on as a solid insurance resource, the agency has become increasingly known as a business built upon the unique wants and needs of its discerning clientele. “Our ability to tailor our services to high-net worth individuals has set us apart in our industry,” remarks Jamie. “We recognized that this was an underserved market, and have evolved to provide a concierge level of care to our clientele.”

He explains, “High-net worth individuals shouldn’t be putting together insurance packages online. Our consultative, relationship-based approach allows us to understand their lifestyles and their assets, so that we can provide them with a more complete array of product options.”

The advantages to working with a local agency, says Jamie, are immediately evident. “When one of our specialists meets our clients at their residences, we have an opportunity to better understand the unique needs of those individuals. Walking through a property, we take copious notes. A chandelier, a piano, or a gun safe might be overlooked in an online or over-the-phone quote. Our personalized attention allows us to put together a comprehensive line of insurance products.”

The benefits of Purmort & Martin’s partnership approach, notes Russ, extend beyond insuring valuables such as fine art and jewelry. “We customize policies to address details such as domestic staff, board membership and multiple properties. We’re also typically able to consolidate products, streamline the insurance paperwork, and maximize efficacy for our clients in this area of their lives.”

While Purmort & Martin excels in meeting the needs of high-net worth individuals, the agency has also earned recognition for its close work with local not-for-profit organizations. “They become not just our clients, but partners of our agency,” says Jamie. “We support local not-for-profits at their fundraising and awareness events, through volunteerism, and by assisting them in reaching out to prospective board members by leveraging the relationships and resources we have cultivated throughout our community.” Local business, adds Jamie, allows Purmort & Martin to give back on a local platform. “At the end of the day, this is where our roots are. We see the inherent value in nurturing those roots and contributing to the ongoing growth and success of local organizations and businesses.”

Their commitment to excellence has earned Purmort & Martin the loyalty of a growing clientele, as well as a flourishing network of local specialists including Realtors, financial advisors and attorneys, who appreciate the firm’s client-centric approach.

Ryan Perrone, owner and founder of Nautilus Homes, recognizes the firm’s value-added business model. “I always feel very comfortable knowing that our clients are being taken care of by Purmort & Martin Insurance Agency,” he says. “They get to know our clients on a personal level and work with them throughout the process of construction, and after completion. They understand the high-end home market better than any other agency I’ve worked with.”

With a thriving staff of qualified and knowledgeable professionals, Purmort & Martin offers an array of services and products including business insurance, personal policies covering homes, rentals, watercraft, motorcycles and recreational vehicles. Personal automobile and life insurance policies are available through Purmort & Martin as well.

Integrity and trust are the cornerstones of Purmort & Martin’s relationship-driven business. The agency looks forward to contributing to the ongoing success of its clients and professional partners.

Purmort & Martin Insurance
2301 Ringling Boulevard
Sarasota, FL 34237
(941) 366.7070
www.Purmort.com

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