NSA Insurance celebrates 100 years of ‘selling a promise’ on the East End
Before the digital age of obtaining insurance coverage, North Fork and Riverhead residents in the early 20th century only had to do one thing: “See Neefus.”
Although simple, the two-word slogan of J. Furman Neefus’ insurance agency had a memorable ring to it — a metaphorical handshake that signaled he was the person to trust for any insurance needs and the safety net many struggling farmers desperately needed.
A century later, this commitment to community, being local “problem solvers” and staying deeply rooted in the North Fork and Riverhead remain core values at NSA Insurance Solutions Service in Aquebogue.
“It’s very gratifying to know we’ve helped thousands of families and businesses at their time of need within our community over the past 100 years and continue to do so with even more comprehensive products and services today,” Peter Sabat, CEO and senior partner, told the Suffolk Times.
Mr. Sabat and NSA partners John Kosciusko, Justin Nunemaker and Randall Morreale all agree the Neefus-Stype Agency — which celebrated its centennial on May 7 — is more than just an independent agency, but part of the community fabric.
“We are in a relationship business,” Mr. Morreale said. “You do what you can, you go to bat for your customer and that relationship goes a long way — we always say, we’re selling a promise.”
The early days of See Neefus Inc.
Originally named Richardson-Neefus Co., Inc., Mr. Neefus first established the business with his brother-in-law in 1926. After a falling out with his former business partner a decade later, Mr. Neefus scribbled “See Neefus for your insurance” on the sign of his now-solo insurance agency. He operated on East Main Street in downtown Riverhead for many years, next to the beloved Star Confectionery — known by locals as “Papa Nick’s.”
Joe Deerkoski, 91, went to work for See Neefus Inc. in 1963 after a five-year stint as an engineer for Grumman. He recalled his office being the size of a closet, and only a handful of people worked for Mr. Neefus at the time.
Back then, the personal touch of the business was incredibly important to its success, including many house visits and face-to-face interactions with clients, Mr. Deerkoski said.
“Nothing got mailed out; we only did things personally,” said Mr. Deerkoski, who worked for Neefus-Stype for 42 years, before retiring in 2005. “You would hand deliver the policy to whoever the customer was … you knew them, and they got to know you, and they trusted you.”
Jeff Kaytis, a grandson of Mr. Neefus, joined the company in 1982. Although his grandfather had retired by then, he said he remembered him as a “dedicated” salesman.
“Back in the [Great] Depression, he hung in there,” Mr. Kaytis said. “They were collecting premiums of 35 cents a week — it’s entirely different now.”
Monumental mergers
Later on, the business relocated to 292 Shade Tree Lane in Aquebogue. Mr. Sabat started in the insurance business in 1987 and joined the See Neefus team in 1990, where he has since moved up the ranks from insurance producer to one of the business owners.
In the late 1990s, Mr. Kosciusko was working for Suffolk County National Bank and managing the loans for See Neefus. He came into the office one day for an ID card for the bank, and Mr. Sabat proposed he come work for the insurance company. Mr. Kosciusko began taking insurance license courses at night and, once he passed, he took the job.
Around the same time, Mr. Morreale had just moved to the area in 1998 and walked into See Neefus with just his résumé in hand. He immediately hit it off with Mr. Deerkoski and the rest was history.
The two partners remembered sharing a small conference room together that was converted into extra office space, where they called clients all day long.
“Smiling and dialing,” Mr. Kosciusko said.
In 1999, the company merged with Val Stype and Sons Inc., which was founded in 1961 by Valentine Stype. Following this pivotal turning point for the company, they continued to make major mergers with the Three Village Bennett Agency in East Setauket and the J.L. Townsend Agency of Greenport.
Together, they formed NSA Group Insurance and Financial Services. Since then, the company has rebranded as NSA Insurance Solutions Service and provides an extensive portfolio of personal, life and commercial insurance offerings. The agency has operated from its current headquarters at 711 Union Avenue in Aquebogue since 2004.
Mr. Nunemaker began in 2006 working in inside sales and new business account management. Then, he transitioned to the tech side of the business and has been the company’s information technology manager for nearly two decades.
In an era of ever-changing technology, Mr. Nunemaker works on ways the company can use technology to protect its personal relationships, not replace them.
“It’s now using that technology, and how we can improve the processes for everybody here in the organization,” he said. “Instead of doing the busy work, we can spend more time with the relationships, more time with the clients.”
Community first
Over the last few decades, the East End has been hit by major weather catastrophes like hurricanes Gloria and Sandy. When devastation walloped the region, Neefus-Stype did not hesitate to provide help wherever it was needed.
The company cranked up its generator and transformed its Aquebogue location at 711 Union Ave. into a headquarters where other insurance companies could continue to operate.
Even before the storms subsided, the local agents drove out to clients’ homes, assessed any losses they endured — whether it was a damaged roof or a flooded basement — and got claims filed right away, so they could be reviewed and paid out quickly.
The response went beyond paperwork. The agency bought truckloads of sump pumps and tarps and handed them directly to homeowners dealing with flooded basements.
“Our mission is to exceed our clients’ expectations by going above and beyond to satisfy all their requests or challenges,” Mr. Sabat said. “Our clients are members of the NSA family so we’re always available to advocate on their behalf until the expected outcome has been achieved or preferably exceeded.”
Whether a house burns down, a severe car accident occurs or a family tragically loses a loved one, lending a helping hand is not uncommon for the NSA partners, they said.
Community involvement is at the heart of the business as well, with long-term participation in the Riverhead Rotary, food drives, support for local nonprofits and churches and scholarship donations to the area schools.
The current property’s 75-foot Christmas tree is a landmark around the holidays, and the company’s annual tree lighting with cocoa and cookies is a local tradition.
Looking to the future
The old 1930s ledgers Mr. Neefus kept as records of payments include a few familiar last names, including Doroski, Krupski and Wells. Many local families have stuck around with NSA Insurance for generations.
The face-to-face interactions, acts of service, family-like company culture and tight local connections are all factors contributing to the company’s longevity.
As NSA Insurance Solutions Service grows and modernizes in the future, the partners are determined to retain its core values, pass that ethos to the next generation of owners and maintain that small-town agency feel, where promises are backed by a familiar face at the door.
“Whether our client has a claim, a challenge or just a question pertaining to insurance or otherwise, we’re going to provide our professional guidance, and assistance, while holding their hand throughout the process,” Mr. Sabat said. “Very few of our peers do that today. Sadly, most service businesses have become purely transactional and commoditized, with minimal attention to personal service. We will always remain committed to enhancing our client-centric and personal service focus. We continually invest a great deal in more product and technology advancements to support our clients as we strive to become even better at what we do all day, every day.”
