Golsan Scruggs began 21 years ago and since then, it has grown into a top 15 insurance and risk management firm with two offices in Battle Ground and Lake Oswego. The firm is locally owned and operated by Ken Golsan and Pete Scruggs. Local ownership is becoming increasingly rare in an industry that is dominated by natural merger and acquisition activity.
“We continue to choose to stay independent rather than sell to a national or regional entity so that we have the autonomy to make the decisions that are best for our clients rather than the financial interests of a larger corporate parent,” said Scruggs. “This has given us a significant advantage especially as it relates to partnering locally with many of the strongest locally owned medical clinics who see us as a long-term partner working like they are to improve health and wellness in their community.”
The firm covers the four corners of health insurance, commercial insurance, 401(k) and workers compensation for regional and local companies. Their most utilized service is insurance placement for business entities that need commercial insurance and health insurance. Within the health insurance space, Golsan Scruggs works to reduce the overall cost to the company and their employees through their benefitSMART advocacy service. This helps employers buy the best healthcare for their employees at the best price. In fact, because of their advocacy approach, the costs are often 50% lower to the employer, with no cost to the member.
As the pandemic wreaked havoc locally and nationwide, the team at Golsan Scruggs worked at full capacity to help clients.
“The COVID scenario has really validated our approach of finding healthcare for the right price with highly qualified independent physicians in less infectious environments when at all possible,” Scruggs said. “Not only does this create better pricing but lower health risk to health plan members.”
Looking ahead, Scruggs said the future is bright and they will continue to put their clients’ needs first – every time.
“Providing proactive advocacy through local employees … has made being a good health consumer a possibility for many families,” Scruggs said. “In a world of 800-numbers and out-of-state call center service, we pride ourselves on providing access even after business hours via cell phone and texting. Health care does not confine itself to a 9 to 5 schedule and we make ourselves available on our customers’ schedule as needed.”
Golsan Scruggs is one of the Vancouver Business Journal’s Strategic Partners. To find out more about our Strategic Partner program and how to become a Strategic Partner, contact Steve McDonagh at smcdonagh@vbjusa.com.
