Chuck Leaming brings Farmers Insurance to Copperas Cove

By LYNETTE SOWELL

Cove Leader-Press

A local military veteran has opened up a Farmers Insurance office in Copperas Cove to help with insurance needs.

The Chuck Leaming agency opened its doors at 201 Cove Terrace Shopping Center in July, and on Wednesday, the Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors celebrated the agency joining the business community with a ribbon cutting.

Leaming has lived in Copperas Cove off and on for almost 30 years, and said he will not miss the commute to Temple for work. 

 “It’s nice, my three-minute commute,” Leaming told those at the ribbon cutting. “Copperas Cove is a great place. I could live anywhere on the planet, and I’m in Copperas Cove, so that ought to tell you how I feel about it.”

Leaming served 25 years in the military and has been with Farmer’s Insurance for less than a year. He was looking at a career change and tragedy led him to becoming an insurance agent.

“A friend’s neighbor’s home burned to the ground about this time a year ago, and he didn’t have any insurance. He didn’t think he had anything worth insuring and he lost everything. We helped clear the property,” Leaming said, adding that the process was “eye-opening.”

“Quite frankly, that steered me in the direction of becoming an insurance agent. I decided I could help people doing that, so here I am.”

While he enjoys Farmers television commercials, it was the company’s track record and a good friend who encouraged him to sign on.

Leaming said he’s been a client of Farmers for a number of years and that one of his best friends owns an agency in Killeen, and he talked with Leaming about becoming a new agency owner. With a spot open in Copperas Cove, the rest is history.

“I love the product. I believe in what they do,” Leaming said. Farmers offers home, auto, and life insurance, as well as umbrella liability coverage in excess of home and auto policies. The company offers business and commercial insurance, along with insurance for what Leaming refers to as “toys” – boats, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, and more.

“The only thing we don’t offer is health insurance,” Leaming said, but added that a neighboring agency in Cove Terrace can help those customers.

Texas Premier Insurance, owned by Rick Williams, is right across from Leaming’s offices. Although insurance companies can be competitive, Leaming said he refers people to Williams if they ask about health insurance.

“I’ve had several people come in and ask about health insurance. I tell them, ‘I can’t help you, but if you walk across the street, go see my good friends Rick and Sheila and they’ll take care of you.’ I couldn’t ask for nicer neighbors,” Leaming said. “We just work together.”