Walking into Connell Insurance is like stepping both forwards and backwards in time. The offices are housed in a onehundred- year-old building on the White Horse Pike in Oaklyn constructed at a time when the White Horse Pike was still a toll road leading to the coast. There are tongue and groove wood floors and vintage model cars on the windowsills. In contrast, there are laptop computers, tablets, and cell phones on the desks. There is a clear attention to detail – every desk, every display is immaculate. The modern tech juxtaposed in the historic building conveys an immediate sense of efficiency and motion. There is a feel of purpose driven nostalgia, and a reminder that business is still conducted between people. It’s the result of combining leading-edge business with a historical environment, and it sets a unique and confident tone.
The owner, Jason Connell, who’s also a longtime resident of Collingswood, greets me with a warm strong handshake. It’s slightly unfamiliar after a year plus of COVID. He’s the second generation of his family in the business and emits enthusiasm and vitality. He’s a competitor. On the wall behind his desk are photographs of him, medals arounds his neck at endurance
events. I immediately think about my own insurances. I have never met a representative from the company who insures our house, cars, and other personal property. We have premiums pulled from our checking account each month via autopay and never think about it; never ask a question, and it’s been years. I feel embarrassed hoping he doesn’t ask me questions regarding my own insurance needs. “My dad was a Prudential man and started here in the front office,” gestures Jason Connell. “My mom, ever the innovator, started her own independent insurance agency in the back of the building. For compliance purposes, they even had separate entrances. Eventually, my father relocated to a Prudential Office building, and what you know as Connell Insurance was the offspring of my mother’s endeavors.”
Connell Insurance is a “real” independent agency. They have the capability to shop a client’s insurance needs with more than a dozen highly rated carriers. A framed sign says it all, “We work for the client; not the company.” Jason Connell explains that New Jersey is its “own beast” in the insurance industry, and one is best served by an independent agent who can navigate the web of complications unique to the State. “We have several areas we are known for,” explains Jason, “We are the hands-down experts at personal lines like home, cars, recreational vehicles, and life insurance. We put together packages that save people money. We also have established ourselves with real estate investors who benefit from the custom programs we have created. Recently, we have moved into commercial lines for small to medium size main street professional offices.”
Across the street, a large car dealership and surrounding homes are being torn down to build a new Super Wawa. The bulldozer emits a loud back up siren as it reverses for another plow into the debris. Dust flies as twisted metal groans in further compression. At that moment, I remember the word I’ve been looking for to describe the feeling I had when first walking into Connell Insurance. It’s integrity. The brick and mortar building which houses Connell Insurance will stand the test of time because of its foundation just like the business relationships it has formed over decades. That’s the benefit of a new generation of family and technology building upon a well-established base. That’s the staying power of a local business that serves the community well. For further information on services offered by Connell Insurance or to get a free evaluation and comparative quotes.
