CJ Insurance Associates open for business in Silverdale.

Cindy Gilmore and Janiece Chipman have been in the insurance business many years.

Now, they finally have their own agency and are looking to insure Silverdale residents’ cars, boats and homes.

Gilmore and Chipman opened CJ Insurance Associates March 3 and could not be happier. The pair worked together for six years at another Silverdale insurance agency and decided the time was right to open their own business.

“Everything’s just falling into place really well which shows this was the right thing to do,” Chipman said.

CJ Insurance Associates is located in Creekside Office Park on Levin Road in Silverdale. Gilmore and Chipman insure everything from cars and motorcycles to boats and bonds.

“We do auto, home, commercial, any recreational vehicles, boats, motorcycles, just pretty much whatever you’re looking for,” Gilmore said.

Chipman, of Bremerton, began selling insurance when she was just 19 years old and Gilmore, of Port Orchard, definitely knows the ropes of the insurance business as well.

“I personally have been selling insurance right here in Kitsap County since right out of high school,” Chipman said. “We’ve both been in the industry for quite some time.”

Chipman said she would have never opened her own agency without Gilmore by her side.

“This is something I would have never done on my own, especially without her (Gilmore),” Chipman said. “I think we’ve gone through every emotion ever known to man since we started.”

Gilmore said CJ Insurance Associates stands out from other insurance agencies because they provide more personalized service to customers.

“Customer service makes us stand out. We want to offer everybody everything we have,” Gilmore said. “It doesn’t matter if you have an old car or a new one, we want to help you no matter who you are.”

She added that people with insurance needs actually speak with a person face-to-face at CJ Insurance Associates.

“A lot of people come to us because they don’t want the 1-800 numbers, they want to actually talk to an agent when there’s a claim,” Gilmore said. “There’s more personal service.”

Gilmore said business has been doing well so far, but she and Chipman would like to be busier.

“We’re just trying to get our name out, our phone number out,” Gilmore said. “It hasn’t been real busy yet, but we’d like to be busy.”

Gilmore and Chipman said their receptionist Amy Marsland is a great addition to CJ Insurance Associates and has been key in keeping the office running smoothly and on track.

“She’s our right arm,” Chipman said.

“She’s never leaving,” Gilmore chuckled.

Gilmore and Chipman said they didn’t open their own business for money, but simply want to help people with their insurance needs.

“We don’t plan on getting to be millionaires, we just want to help people. It’s the satisfaction,” Gilmore said.

Gilmore and Chipman said they’ve learned a lot so far and will continue to learn new things to better their insurance agency.

“It’s been fun and a lot to learn,” Gilmore said. “We never thought we’d have our own agency and here we are.”