EP #228: Tonya Meriwether with Insurance Plans of America
Apr 02, 2024
Jeremy Wolf
When life threw a curveball at Tonya Meriwether's family, it wasn't just love that kept them together—it was the sobering lesson about the importance of having proper insurance. That very personal journey led Tonya to become the passionate heart behind Insurance Plans of America, an agency dedicated to guiding individuals through the intricate world of health, Medicare, and life insurance. Settle in with us on the Good Neighbor Podcast as we unravel Tonya's tale of resilience, from her mother's health crisis to the birth of her own business amidst the financial chaos of 2008, and how she's grown it into its 16th triumphant year.
No one starts an agency alone, and certainly not without a cause that hits close to home. Joining me, Jeremy Wolf, is the inspiring Tonya Meriwether, who not only shares the personal drive behind her foray into the insurance industry but also introduces us to the family spirit of her business—with her daughter by her side in this venture. Our conversation transcends the typical discussions of policies and coverage, as we focus on the heart of Tonya's mission: to safeguard and prepare for the future of our community. Tune in to hear a story steeped in dedication and a vision that extends from Weston, South Florida, to 16 states across America, all through the lens of a woman fueled by a commitment to protect others from the financial strains of unforeseen health issues.
When life threw a curveball at Tonya Meriwether's family, it wasn't just love that kept them together—it was the sobering lesson about the importance of having proper insurance. That very personal journey led Tonya to become the passionate heart behind Insurance Plans of America, an agency dedicated to guiding individuals through the intricate world of health, Medicare, and life insurance. Settle in with us on the Good Neighbor Podcast as we unravel Tonya's tale of resilience, from her mother's health crisis to the birth of her own business amidst the financial chaos of 2008, and how she's grown it into its 16th triumphant year.
No one starts an agency alone, and certainly not without a cause that hits close to home. Joining me, Jeremy Wolf, is the inspiring Tonya Meriwether, who not only shares the personal drive behind her foray into the insurance industry but also introduces us to the family spirit of her business—with her daughter by her side in this venture. Our conversation transcends the typical discussions of policies and coverage, as we focus on the heart of Tonya's mission: to safeguard and prepare for the future of our community. Tune in to hear a story steeped in dedication and a vision that extends from Weston, South Florida, to 16 states across America, all through the lens of a woman fueled by a commitment to protect others from the financial strains of unforeseen health issues.
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Jeremy Wolf.
Speaker 2:
Hello everyone, friends, family, Welcome back to the Good Neighbor Podcast. I'm your host, Jeremy Wolf, and I must say today I am feeling rather grateful and rather humbled, must say. Today I am feeling rather grateful and rather humbled. I'm so happy to have this platform to bring business owners on to tell their story and talk about all the good that they do for our great community. So, with that said, I'd like to introduce our guest for today. I'm sitting here with Tanya Merriweather, and Tanya comes to us from Insurance Plans of America. Tanya, thanks for joining us.
Speaker 3:
Hi, good morning Jeremy. Thank you for having me today.
Speaker 2:
It's our pleasure and thanks to our listeners, as always, for tuning in. So, tanya, I think everybody out there has a general idea of what insurance is, but why don't you tell us a little bit about what you do specifically at Insurance Plans of America?
Speaker 3:
Awesome, I'd be happy to do that. Insurance Plans of America is an insurance agency that specializes in individual health insurance, whether that's through the marketplace or through a private company. We also offer Medicare for people that are turning 65 and are currently 65 and older, and then we also do estate planning by way of life insurance products as well. We do it here locally, as well as 16 other states nationally.
Speaker 2:
Okay, and you are based in what area of South Florida?
Speaker 3:
And our main office is in Weston.
Speaker 2:
You're in Weston, okay, okay, just a stone's throw away from us over here in Cooper City. So Insurance Plans of America I'm guessing that's a larger. Is it an insurance company, insurance agency? Do you own your own franchise down here? How does that kind of work for you?
Speaker 3:
Good question. I am an insurance broker. Insurance Plans of America is the agency and I'm the owner broker. So it's not a franchise, it's an ownership by myself and a family company as well.
Speaker 2:
My daughter. I like that and I like the name you chose for Insurance Plans of America. Again, I had I had the impression from hearing that like, oh wow, this is a large national organization and you started it right down here in Florida, so you work with your daughter.
Speaker 3:
Yes, we work together.
Speaker 2:
So how did you go back in time? Guess I'm a time machine, let's go back. How did you end up in the insurance field? Is this something that you went to school and you're like, hey, you know what? I think I'm going to get into the wonderful world of insurance? Is this something that happened along the way? Talk a little bit about your journey and how you ended up here.
Speaker 3:
That's a good question. I had a personal experience. My mother had a medical event that was 100% treatable. At the time. She was working a full-time and a part-time job and did not have insurance. Back in the late 90s, unfortunately, that particular medical event that was 100% treatable caused her an early demise. So that kind of perked my passion for insurance at the time. So that's one of my stories. It is a 100% necessity and it is more accessible now than ever, so it's something that every American should have access to as well as have, and it's easier to do that now than it was a decade ago.
Speaker 2:
Absolutely and appreciate your sharing that it's so important to have a mission in this world that is important to you and clearly, with such a personal event that happened drives your passion to do what you do, so that's really fantastic. How did you, how did you end up getting involved, with your daughter working there?
Speaker 3:
Out of necessity with growth. So it demanded more, more agents and seeing her mom in the business. So she kind of followed my lead into the business, so she is also an agent as well.
Speaker 2:
Love it, love it. So how long ago did you start Insurance Plans of America?
Speaker 3:
In 2008. So we've been around. This is about our 16th year and we've been growing every year since, so it's been 16 years in the business so far.
Speaker 2:
Wonderful. So basically right off the heels of the financial collapse in 2008, you got into this business. So, going back to that time, right when everything was unstable, to say the least, what was some of the biggest challenges starting a business and becoming an entrepreneur in the climate the way it was back in 2008?
Speaker 3:
There's always been a need for insurance, but it wasn't more so a challenge as far as the business owner. It was a challenge as far as being able to insure the people that needed the insurance, because back then, before the Affordable Care Act, there were pre-existing clauses. It was very expensive, so only a select few had access to individual health insurance. So people stayed on jobs that they didn't like just to have access to health insurance. And as of today, in the climate, the space that we're in now, that's no longer necessary. So it was more so of a challenge of finding a product for someone that may have been had a heart attack before it was diabetic. Those things were not possible over a decade ago.
Speaker 2:
So fast forward to today, 14 years later. I think they do the math right there 16. 16. No, I didn't. We'll excuse that. So, sitting here today, what is what would you say is the biggest reward for having started your business 16 years ago and being where you are now?
Speaker 3:
It's just being able to go to an emergency room or receive a surgery that's medically necessary is really a matter of life and death in some cases. Just being able to see people have illnesses or injuries and be able to financially afford access to the healthcare that we provide now, so that's quite rewarding.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, safety and security is important in people's lives.
Speaker 3:
Especially from coming off of the COVID pandemic and everything that happened. Everyone was suspect at that time, people that had never had medical issues. You went around a family member that was infected at the time that could very well have been life threatening. So it's been rewarding just being able to service people that otherwise could not have access to medical care.
Speaker 2:
Is there anything going on in the industry today, anything that you'd like for folks out there to know, maybe something that a myth or misconception that your clients typically have, something you'd like to clear up?
Speaker 3:
Yes, I think there's a big misconception around what people refer to as Obamacare, the Affordable Care Act. When it first was introduced to America, there were a lot of flaws in it. It was a new product, a new social remedy for Americans that typically could not afford insurance, so there were some problems with the system that the government had provided to the agents and the consumers. With the provider network, that has since been cleared up, so people do have access to affordable options that were not available, like I said, over a decade ago. So a lot of the misconceptions surrounding the Affordable Care Act have now been cleared and they're no longer an issue. So that's something that people still feel that I don't want that Obamacare, but we're saving lives care, but we're saving lives.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I think there's a lot of charge attached to the term just because of the political dichotomy between red and blue, and maybe they could have done with a better name for Obamacare. It would have been a little bit better. But yeah, no, I see that right. Like with any other program, the government rolls out. At first there's going to be a lot of speed bumps and a lot of roadblocks, but over time, if it sets in and it becomes successful, clearly it's working and a lot of people are now covered.
Speaker 3:
Yes, millions of Americans, millions.
Speaker 2:
Yes. So Tanya what do you like to do for fun when you're not working? Tell us a little bit more about your family. You did mention your daughter works with you. Tell us a little bit about that.
Speaker 3:
I love going to spas and relaxing you and me both Just things that relax and spiritual growth and things of that nature. So I'm more of a homebody, but I do love spas and good food and good times, things of that nature.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, spirituality, that's something that I've really, really embarked on on the north side of 40. I've been going through a lot of personal growth and development and having some really wonderful insights lately and I'm just in a really, really good mind space right now. So that resonates a lot when everybody tells me that. And then, yeah, relaxing is important for me as well. I am much, much of a homebody, but there's always balance there, right.
Speaker 3:
Absolutely yeah.
Speaker 2:
So how long have you lived in South Florida?
Speaker 3:
All my life. I'm one of the few people one of two people in South Florida that have been here, so I was born and raised in Miami and migrated over here to Broward, so I've only lived here in South Florida.
Speaker 2:
Well, you beat me down here, though. I hail from New York many, many years ago, so I consider myself fully integrated in the South Florida lifestyle.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, I hear a little bit of the accent.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, it's still in the background. It's faint, yes. So before we wrap up, tanya what would be if you had to pick one thing to leave our listeners with about your business? What would that be?
Speaker 3:
Here at insurance plans of America we kind of integrate the old. We're big on customer service, meaning that we want you to have an experience and have a product that works for you. And then we also understand that the time that we're in where people want things on demand, so we try to get the quotes done relatively quickly, the application process done within 10, 15 minutes. So we aim to make sure that you have a quality experience with a quality product here at Insurance Finance of America.
Speaker 2:
Very good. And how can folks out there learn more if anybody's listening and they're looking for new insurance? They have questions, they'd like to reach out and kind of pick your brain and get a little bit more information. How can they do that? Maybe share your website, your contact information?
Speaker 3:
Absolutely, you can Google Insurance Plans of America. As I mentioned, we're here in Weston. The website is wwwinsuranceplansofamericacom. Website is wwwinsuranceplansofamericacom. You can also reach us here locally at 1-877-752-6711.
Speaker 2:
Perfect, and we will link in the description to all of your contact information. Tanya, thank you so much for joining us today.
Speaker 3:
Thank you for having me, Jeremy.
Speaker 2:
Thank you so much. Of course, it's what we do, and thanks as always to our listeners for tuning in, and we will catch everyone next time. Take care and have a wonderful day.
Speaker 1:
Thanks for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast Cooper City. To nominate your favorite local business to be featured on the show, Go to GNPCooperCitycom. That's GNPCooperCitycom, or call 954-231-3170.