David Keslar

President

Keslar Associates Inc.  

Newmarket, New Hampshire

How did you get started at your agency? 

I've been in insurance for a long time. Originally, I started out as a captive agent until I decided that I really wanted to make sure that I could provide options for my clients, ensuring that I recommended the best products for their needs. I founded our independent agency with a culture that is dedicated to exemplary customer experience.

Why RV insurance?

The RV insurance market was a natural expansion of our current insurance offering. We offer a holistic approach to providing insurance solutions. And part of that complete solution was ensuring that clients' RVs are correctly insured.

Biggest industry changes?

The biggest change we've been seeing in the RV insurance industry has been increased demand. With the pandemic, fewer people are traveling by plane and anywhere large numbers of people congregate closely. Instead, they have looked at other ways to experience new locations safely, and RVs fit that goal. In addition, many families can work and go to school remotely, which also makes it easier to enjoy RV travel.

Biggest challenges?

With the increased demand we find that some insureds have creative uses for RVs or have customized their RV in ways that change how they are insured. In those instances, we are finding that we have to take advantage of the broad range of markets we have access to in order to find a solution to properly insure our clients.

Future trends? 

We are predicting the RV insurance market to remain strong for 2021. We envision that flexibility with work and education will continue and consumers will continue to look for experiences to enhance their lives. During these trips, we expect they will still be using RVs as their mobile “home base."

RV insurance advice for a fellow agent?

It's important to offer the right product for your clients' needs. Therefore, we recommend that you align yourself with several key insurance carriers for those solutions. We also find it to be beneficial to develop relationships with RV dealers, so they can provide our contact information to their clients. We know it is important for the dealers to have a trusted partner for insurance services. They know we are here to educate their customers on insurance coverages, as well as provide them with the most appropriate products for their needs.

Favorite success story? 

This past year we had a client that was driving their RV around the country. Unfortunately, one day they broke down on the side of the road. Their RV policy not only covered the tow to get the RV repaired but helped with some additional expenses, such as a hotel and dining. It's great to know that a product we sold them made such a positive impact during a very stressful time.

Olivia Overman is IA content editor.