Phil Reinartz & Tom Voglewede

A FAMILY-FOCUSED INDEPENDENT INSURANCE AGENCY

By Amanda Matkowski

Photos by Jacob Harr with harr Creative LLC

The fastest-growing personal lines insurance distributor in the United States, Goosehead Insurance provides products and consultations from 140 leading carriers. A full-service independent insurance brokerage, they primarily assist real estate agents and their referral partners. For Phil Reinartz of Reinartz Agency, however, it’s all about family.

“We are a family business,” Phil said. “Our families and loved ones have been incredibly supportive of the challenges and difficulties that the industry presents.”

Originally employed in banking after college, Phil saw how fulfilled his father was while working for an insurance company. “I had watched my father’s success and satisfaction in the insurance industry, and I pivoted in that direction,” he explained. Phil worked for over a decade in various facets of the insurance industry before deciding that he wanted to dedicate his focus and time to personal lines, launching Reinartz Agency on October 1, 2019.

In January of 2021, Phil’s cousin Tom Voglewede joined the business full time. Tom had a long internship within the agency beforehand, but he now helps drive growth and provides service for their referral partners as an account executive.

With their combined industry expertise, Phil and Tom have become a valuable asset to the real estate community. They use their best-in-class service and speedy responses to come up with solutions for homebuyers through Goosehead’s independent model.

“We find that educating and assisting first-time homebuyers is incredibly fulfilling,” Tom said. “Our goal is to make it as smooth and simple of a process as possible for the clients. Saving a deal for our referral partners is something we live for.”

As an independent brokerage, Goosehead disrupts the status quo by not having a “one-size-fits-all” model. They even offer services that other agencies cannot match such as the ability to return binder change requests in less than an hour — the average time being 14 minutes. “We will never be the cause for a delay in the homebuying process,” Phil stated.

Lately, Phil and Tom have noticed an unfortunate trend in their industry: Insurance carriers are spending an exorbitant amount of money on advertising, which has altered people’s insurance habits and their overall perception of insurance. The team at Reinartz Agency is determined to clear up any confusion that clients may have about conflicting information. “Our clients appreciate the time we take to make sure that we are explaining insurance in a way that is understandable,” Tom said.

For the Reinartz Agency, providing quality service to their referral partners and clients is how they measure success. “Our favorite thing is when someone trusts us enough to work with their friends and family,” Phil said.

Beyond helping clients at work, Phil and Tom make sure to carve out moments for their own families. “In the limited free time we have, we prioritize spending time with our family and friends,” Phil shared. With Phil originally from Ada and Tom from Allegan, they also enjoy the gorgeous outdoors that are found on the western side of Michigan.

Although Goosehead Insurance is known for their numerous carriers and client-focused solutions, Phil would like people to see the business in another way. “We want to be remembered for the connections that we make with the community that has supported us,” he said. With their helpful and welcoming nature, the Reinartz Agency should be remembered by another word: family.

For more information about Goosehead Insurance, visit gooseheadgr.com.

Phil Reinartz & Tom Voglewede, Goosehead Insurance — Reinartz Agency - Partner Spotlight