Choosing an insurance agent is one of the most important financial decisions you can make – and most people make it without knowing what their agent has actually seen when claims go wrong.
At Western Pacific Insurance, our story starts long before we ever wrote a single policy. Our co-owner Jim Edington spent years in the collision repair industry, watching insurance carriers handle real claims on real vehicles. That experience gave him a perspective most agents simply do not have – and it shapes how our agency operates today.
Built on Real Claims Experience
Jim got into the collision repair business in 2004, owning and operating Fix Auto and Rebel Automotive in Las Vegas. Inside a body shop, the insurance process looks very different from what most consumers see. There are adjusters, supplements, parts negotiations, rental car timelines, and constant back-and-forth between the shop and the carrier.
Some carriers handled that process efficiently and treated the vehicle owner fairly. Others created unnecessary friction. Jim once had an adjuster try to source used parts from a junkyard in the midwest just to save a few dollars – a decision that would have added a full week to the customer’s repair for no good reason.
That kind of firsthand experience matters when an agency recommends which carrier to place your coverage with. At Western Pacific Insurance, price is only part of the equation. We also consider how a carrier behaves when something goes wrong.
Understanding the Limits of Captive Agents
As a collision repair shop owner, Jim regularly visited local captive insurance agencies to build referral relationships. Over time, he noticed a pattern. Captive agents could serve you well if your situation fit their single carrier’s appetite. If it did not, they were stuck.
Jim experienced this limitation personally when insuring his own businesses. When a carrier decided it no longer wanted the risk, and the agent only represented that one company, the business owner had to start from scratch with someone new. That frustration is one of the core reasons Western Pacific Insurance operates as an independent agency with access to multiple carriers.
A Belief in Insurance That Started Early
Jim became a believer in insurance in his mid-twenties, well before entering the industry. When he and his wife bought their first home in 2006, an agent took the time to explain why an umbrella policy and term life insurance mattered. That conversation turned insurance from a resented expense into something genuinely valued.
That educational approach is central to how Western Pacific Insurance works with clients. We do not pressure anyone into a purchase. We explain what coverage does, what it costs, and what could happen without it. When you understand the value, the right decision tends to follow naturally.
A Family Business Since 2003
Western Pacific Insurance was founded in 2003 to serve the lending industry’s need for reliable homeowners insurance placement. The agency grew to over ten thousand active clients by focusing on consistency, availability, and treating people the right way.
Jim and his brother Tom took over the business at the end of 2018. Tom brings a CPA and banking background, including experience as the CFO of a regional subsidiary of Zions Bancorp. Jim brings his claims-side perspective and years as a business owner. Those very different skill sets complement each other and strengthen the agency’s ability to serve clients.
How We Work Today
Western Pacific Insurance is an independent agency. We work with carriers like Safeco, Travelers, Progressive, Mercury, Openly, Stillwater, and many others. When you come to us, we shop your coverage across multiple carriers to find the right combination of coverage, carrier strength, and value.
We write property and casualty insurance in Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and California. We write life insurance in nearly every state and U.S. territory. We handle both personal and commercial lines under one roof, so your home, auto, umbrella, and business coverage can all be managed together.
We have served tens of thousands of clients since 2003 and have a full team of skilled, licensed agents, dedicated customer service representatives, and experienced management. We are also a bilingual agency serving both English and Spanish-speaking clients.
Find the Right Coverage for Your Situation
If you want an agency that shops your coverage across multiple carriers and takes the time to make sure you understand what you are paying for, we would be happy to help. Get a quote from Western Pacific Insurance or learn more about our coverage in Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and California.
