KT Insurance opens for business, harnesses co-founder ‘synergies’

Keith Pocock and Tom Bennett are not entirely sure when their conversation began – a few years ago, by Pocock’s estimation – they just know it started on the road to a high school basketball game and resulted in Tuesday’s opening of KT Insurance Agency LLC.

The two Holyoke residents serve as basketball referees. Off the court, Pocock works as a certified insurance counselor and Bennett as president of First Pioneer National Bank. 

“We were talking about personal goals and I expressed to Tom, at one point, [that] I could see myself starting my own agency,” Pocock said. “He said, at that time, it was something he’d thought about as well.”

When Pocock felt ready to open the business, Bennett told him, he wanted to get into contact: They started the planning process in June. Eventually, Pocock resigned from HUB International after eight years there as an insurance broker, and formed KT Insurance with he and Bennett as fellow investors.

Citing Bennett’s depth of experience and good reputation among his clientele, Pocock said he “wouldn’t want to partner with anyone else.” Bennett, meanwhile, touted Pocock as an “expert in the field,” bringing technical know-how and a youthful energy to the enterprise at age 33.

The two also share a family history: Pocock said his best friend, Mike, happened to be Bennett’s stepson; Pocock’s mother babysat Mike when they were younger.

“To me, that’s what life’s about,” Bennett said. “Being able to work together, help people and find ways to be successful with the people you want to be successful with. 

“You can choose whoever you want to be with in the world. You’ve got to choose the right people and I think we have.”

Bennett, “at least in the short-term,” clarified he has no intention of leaving First Pioneer. With 33 years at the bank, he believes he still has more to offer it. He also wanted to stress First Pioneer and KT Insurance are two separate entities – “severed,” in Bennet’s words – though the insurance company does rent its building from the bank. Bennett continued, saying he will not pressure any customers at the bank to take up insurance at the agency.

“I want to keep working [at First Pioneer] full-time, so no changes there,” he said, “but I wanted to look for a future place once I got out of banking, more towards my retirement age.”

In the next “three to five to seven” years, Bennett said, he wants to study the investing business further and become licensed for the job. 

With Pocock’s experience, Bennett said, future clients can speed up claims processes, whether they involve the ag industry, or property and casualty insurance. KT Insurance is a full-service agency with a focus on Northeast Colorado and Western Nebraska.

“The synergy we have between the two of us, I hope, is Keith’s synergies with the insurance company and the clients,” Bennett said, “and my synergies with the farming community after being here for a number of years.”

Starting the new business, Pocock said, “has been quite the learning curve,” but he enjoyed the process and expressed confidence in his abilities.

“I’m glad I’ve gone through it, because I know what it takes to get this going [and] see your hard work pay off,” he said. “I’m excited to see how this first year is going to go.”

The KT Insurance office, located in Holyoke at 111 W. Emerson St., may be reached by phone at 970-854-4145 or by email at keith@ktinsuranceagency.com.