Tom Byars of Eagle Rock Insurance: Berkley’s Community Insurance Advocate
By Ingrid Sjostrand
TOM BYARS HAS SPENT HIS CAREER WORKING TO PROTECT HIS NEIGHBORS IN BERKLEY and the surrounding Metro Detroit communities – but maybe not in the way you would think. Byars is president and owner of Eagle Rock Insurance, and for the last 24 years he’s been ensuring residents have protection from natural disaster, accidents and the unexpected in life.
“We take the time to get to know you, and that way we can figure out those specific situations that we need to apply insurance remedies to,” he said. “That’s the basis of our being. We’re just an old-school neighborhood agency.”
Byars has lived in Berkley since 1998 and to him that means more than just residing and working here. He acted on the Board of Directors for the Berkley Chamber of Commerce for eight years and currently sits on the Board of Review.
Byars is also dedicated to Eagle Rock contributing to the community, too. “We’ve supported the Berkley Education Foundation for years, participated in golf outings. One of our employees, Rebecca Theriault, is in the Junior Women’s Club,” he said. “We’re certainly invested in the community. We volunteer on various projects and boards and it’s important for us to give back.”
BYARS BELIEVES BEING INVESTED IN THE COMMUNITY also brings insight to his business and allows him and his team to better serve residents.
“There are certain types of losses that are very frequent in this area. Water backup is a big one. I would never sell a homeowners policy without a water backup coverage because it’s not ‘IF it’s going to happen to you,’ but rather ‘WHEN it’s going to happen’ here in Berkley and Huntington Woods,” he said. “We have the advantage over someone who isn’t necessarily local, a call-center somewhere basing your policy solely on price.”
Eagle Rock provides auto, business, home, life, flood and motorcycle insurance, as well as wealth management services. They are an independent insurance provider representing multiple carriers, including Progressive, AutoOwners and six others, which to Byars, is another benefit to his clients.
“We have the advantage over a provider that only has one carrier and – not to denigrate those – it’s just a
different way to get the product out to market,” he said. “I’m not employed by any of my companies, I’m representing my client. So it gives me a little more flexibility in finding a good insurance solution for them.”
THERE ARE FOUR EMPLOYEES AT EAGLE ROCK, including Byars. All are licensed, accredited, and take regular classes, which Byars feels is important to provide the best for clients.
“That’s what we strive for, we make sure we position ourselves as professionals in our client’s toolkit. But this is not a high-pressure sales environment, a few moments of your time could save you a lot of heartache down the road,” he said. “Pick up the phone and call us, it’s always the same people. We know about your kids, your dogs, your pets – it’s that level of familiarity that also helps us place our coverage correctly.”
Eagle Rock Insurance
thomas@eaglerockinsurance.com | (248) 548-5530
1904 W Eleven Mile Rd, Berkley MI 48072
