In Nashville, Tennessee, where music meets commerce, is HQ Insurance. It's an insurance agency built on a blend of familial legacy, opportune timing, and a deep commitment to client relationships. Jeremy Cyr, a key figure at HQ Insurance since its inception, offers a look into the philosophy and practices that have shaped the agency over its nearly 14-year journey.
For Cyr, the path to insurance wasn't a childhood dream but rather a convergence of personal need and professional opportunity.
With a father who spent four decades in commercial insurance, the industry was a familiar backdrop. He spent the late 90s tailgating with his fathers' coworkers at Tennessee Titans games—and those insurance professionals were fun to be around, not to mention successful. So when Cyr’s next-door neighbor, Phil, approached him about starting HQ Insurance two decades later, Cyr figured why not? "On August 1, 2012, I became employee number one," he says.
Looking back, Cyr admits he was probably a little naive about what he was getting into. "If I knew everything involved—how the sausage is made—I may not have been so bold," he laughs. Cyr credits the agency's principal as a "phenomenal salesman" whose "extraordinarily convincing" nature sealed the deal for him. "14 years later, I’m still having a ball. I absolutely love what I do."
From its earliest days, HQ Insurance distinguished itself by focusing on the customer experience—and a forward-thinking approach to technology. HQ Insurance did things differently. While other agencies were still figuring out what would be considered basic technology today, HQ Insurance was already thinking about remote work and web-based platforms.
"Back in 2012, we wanted to work with companies who had web-based platforms," Cyr notes. This approach proved invaluable with the onset of the COVID pandemic. "Come March of 2020, that forethought served us quite well." While other agencies scrambled to figure out remote work, HQ Insurance was already there.
But technology is only a piece of the puzzle. What really sets HQ Insurance apart is their obsession with communication. "We try our very best to communicate, and then overly communicate, and not let things roll from one day to the next without a touchpoint," Cyr says. "If we say we are going to do something, we do it. Ideally within that same day."
For Cyr, the best part of his job isn’t hitting sales targets or closing big deals; it's those moments when his professional and personal sides come together, especially when clients are going through tough times.
"When you’re able to talk to someone, and help them, in one of their darkest moments…It's an interesting situation when that veil of your professional life and the more pastoral side of you is thin. It really adds a different level and purpose beyond quotas and hitting goals."
HQ Insurance was ahead of the curve on technology before, and they're trying to stay there today with AI. Cyr knows that while "most people acknowledge that there’s this thing called AI, understanding its practical implementation is a hurdle.” He sees AI not as a replacement for human interaction, but rather is a powerful tool to enhance their business.
"We’re in a relational business. We’re not looking to replace a person with AI, but we are looking at the data capturing side of things. That would be invaluable," Cyr explains. Imagine the efficiency gained from a system that auto-populates necessary fields.
Even with a strong foundation, challenges persist. One of the biggest, Cyr notes, is the ability to convey a sense of calm when there is a vacuum of information. In moments of uncertainty, the ability to reassure clients and meet them where they are is paramount.
Cyr envisions even broader communication capabilities. "Being able to communicate on a larger scale, whether that's email or text message blasts, in the moment as something momentous may be occurring, is huge." He envisions utilizing automations that can send targeted messages to entire neighborhoods after a storm hits, asking "Are you ok?" "Text message is the new handshake and conversation starter," Cyr says.
When asked about the most common piece of advice he gives clients, Cyr doesn't hesitate: "Price is important, but you need to look under the hood. Because policy language is not all the same. Cheaper isn’t always better."
Cyr champions transparency and client understanding:
"Insurance providers are not all the same. You should do some diligence, like when you’re in the homebuying process, and not just buy something because someone told you to. That’s one of the things that I love about Openly. I know that if I craft the policy the way that I want, I don't have to have a bad conversation, or a conversation that I don't want to have."
Cyr passionately believes that a fundamental misunderstanding still exists about insurance, and independent insurance agencies especially. "I wish that people realized we work for them. Which is a very different model from captive carriers. If you have a need, they have one lane, one solution. That's not how we work. You tell me what you want, I go out and get it. As your needs change, we can move this thing around because I work for you."
Cyr is fascinated by what's coming next in insurance. Self-driving cars are going to shake up auto insurance in ways we can't fully predict yet, he asserts. "It certainly creates plenty of questions for the auto insurance space!"
But the change that's hitting closer to home is weather. "Tornado Alley has moved east. Now, it’s Dixie Alley," Cyr explains. He would know. He’s lived in Tennessee his whole life. "I've never seen anything like I've seen over the past five years. Traditionally, Tennessee doesn't get large hail. I just had 2.5" hail beat up my house. It’s terrifying."
These shifts raise big questions for the industry. "What does that mean if these zones are moving?" Cyr wonders. But he's optimistic about navigating whatever comes next. “We can speculate, but just based on what it means to be an American and love freedom, I don’t think that autonomy is going to go away with the result of these self-driving cars. But there’s definitely going to be some neat changes as the result of tech or climate forces.”
Technology will change things, weather patterns will shift, but the need for someone who understands your situation and can advocate for you through the complicated world that is insurance? That's not going anywhere. "We're not just here to sell you something," Cyr says. "We're here to take care of you, whatever comes next."
His enthusiasm for his work is palpable. "It seems like a lot of agents decide that they build up to a level and they’re like, 'Alright, I’m going to go play golf for the rest of my life.' That’s not me. That’s not us," Cyr affirms. “Our goal is to continue to build on the success we already have, and not become complacent." Cyr is constantly pushing to build on their agency’s success, rather than coast on it.