Ozarks Profile: J. Scott Loveland

Tell us about your company.

American Family was started as Farmers Mutual Insurance in 1927 in Madison, Wis., selling auto insurance to farmers in that area. Currently we are selling insurance in 17 states, mostly in the upper Midwest and far West.

What attracted you to your career?

I knew a few people in the insurance business and I liked the lifestyle and careers they seemed to enjoy. It was very financially difficult the first several years, but gets better with time.

What's the biggest change you've seen in the industry?

I think the largest change in my 12 years with American Family is the way that insurance is sold and serviced through our computers. When I started we hand calculated every rate from rate books and now it is all done electronically. The claims process has become much more efficient though the computers also.

What challenges do you face in your work?

The largest challenge I have is to make sure that the client is happy as much as possible. My office manager Sara Leamon and myself try to do our best to make our people happy.

What types of insurance does your company provide?

American Family provides a wide range of insurance coverages, but the primary lines are auto, home, life, health and business insurance.

What are the most common concerns and issues of clients?

The largest concern/question that Sara and I deal with is insuring homes to value. In other words, market value is important, but replacement cost of the dwelling is the number that we use predominantly in insurance. If the home was destroyed, what would it cost to rebuild it back to its current condition?

In regards to auto insurance, most people are concerned about what their liability limits cover and what the best combination of comprehensive and collision deductibles are.

What do you enjoy in your spare time?

My background is in athletics. I played football at Central Missouri State University and enjoy doing about any athletic situation. I play golf, fast-pitch softball and spend time at the gym. I also enjoy relaxing at Table Rock Lake.

If you could choose another career, what would it be and why?

The only other career that I really would like to do is to be a professional athlete. Since that is out of the question, it looks like insurance is where I will stay.