In 1892 Charles R. Brown opened a small insurance agency in the Gill and League Building in downtown Galveston. Fast-forward 130 years and that small agency has become GIA Insurance with two offices, specialized departments for Personal, Business and Employee Benefits coverage and a staff of 40 professionals with the ability to work from almost anywhere. GIA has been selected to be part of an elite group of 267 independent insurance agencies around the United States participating in the 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) “Best Practices” Study Group. Twenty-five of these agencies are in Texas and GIA is the only one in Galveston County. GIA provides coverage for first-time homeowners as well as those with high-value homes and autos. Other clients include new businesses to large established corporations with multiple locations. As an Independent Insurance Agency, GIA has access to many of the best and most highly respected insurance companies. That allows the agency to give clients options for their coverage. Based on GIA’s experiences during storms like Alicia, Allison, Ike and Harvey, the agency’s Catastrophe Plan assures that staff is safe and available to clients when they are needed the most – at claim time. GIA’s staff is proud of living up to their motto of “Service before and after the storm.”