It’s a funny — but true — story that dates back to the early 1980s told by our founder, Eric VanVleet.
For years, Eric had admired Erie Insurance from afar. Their stellar reputation, commitment to service, and strong values aligned perfectly with what he believed in at VanVleet Insurance. So, naturally, he wanted to represent them.
Eric called. And called again. And again. But each time, Erie politely declined. They already had an agent in Richmond, and Erie is known for being loyal to their existing agency force — a quality we respected, even if it meant we had to wait.
Then one day, everything changed.
While reading the Palladium-Item newspaper, Eric spotted a headline that caught his attention — something that hinted at the local Erie Insurance agent having a breakdown and shooting a gun at his office ceiling fan. Eric picked up the phone and called Erie once more, this time with a bold message:
“You have a problem in Richmond… and we have the solution.”
Within 30 days, VanVleet Insurance was officially appointed as an Erie Insurance agency — and the rest, as they say, is history.
Today, we’re proud to represent Erie Insurance and continue building on the values and service that brought us together in the first place.
