Cyan Insurance Solutions handles clients from their out-of-state office

Rick Monroe

Special to Village News

In a time of social distancing and working remotely, longtime Fallbrook residents Ken and April Finster recently moved their business Cyan Insurance Solutions to Tennessee.

Established as Fallbrook Health Insurances 21 years ago by April Finster and another agent, she retained the firm when the partner left.

"I married into the insurance business when April and I married in 2008," Ken Finster said. "We changed the name to Cyan Insurance Solutions Inc. when we incorporated in 2010."

The couple decided to plan ahead for their retirement.

"A few years ago we decided we'd eventually retire somewhere with lots of fresh water," Ken Finster said. "It's a long trek from Fallbrook to the Colorado River and back.

"We have some family just west of Knoxville, and we fell in love with the area, deciding this would be where we'd retire. We opened a second office outside Knoxville and ping-ponged between California and Tennessee. Eventually, we found that with online video conferences, email and electronic quoting and applications, we could handle all business from Tennessee, so that's what we're doing now.

"We've recently added Arizona, Georgia, Virginia and Florida to the states we're licensed in. We have no plans on retiring in the near future, as we still love helping clients navigate these insurance areas," he said.

Ken Finster said he is a young 70-year-old who enjoys water skiing and other activities. He described April Finster as a spry 65-year-old who loves boating and hiking.

"We enjoy our current ages, and we feel it makes us all the more receptive to the concerns and needs of our clients, many of whom are our age," he said. "We let go of the physical Bonsall office a few months back and have had no problem working from Tennessee. We have deep knowledge of San Diego and Riverside insurance plans, doctors and hospitals and continue to enjoy working with our California clients."

April and Ken Finster are both licensed insurance agents, ready to handle the various needs of clients. They also employ an office administrator.

"In recent years, we've focused more and more on Medicare (health insurance for those 65 and over), life insurance and long-term care insurance," Ken Finster said. "We still offer health insurance plans for clients in California under age 65."

They also are Covered California certified agents, he said.

"We represent many companies, which allows the client to design the best plan for their individual needs," Ken Finster said. "There are two types of insurance agents: Captive agents work for a single company, and they can only offer a client the financial products from that company. Independent agents, like Cyan, have dozens of companies to choose from, so we can fit the company to the client, not the other way around."

He said the firm anticipates changes are possible in the industry.

"Health plans for clients under 65 has been a political football for many years," Ken said. "Due to that, it's almost impossible to predict what will happen year-to-year. Medicare, life and long-term care are much more stable markets. Prices will continue to go up, as the medical services that underlie these plans continue to go up. Especially with life and long-term care plans, a client can lock in a lower rate by acquiring a plan as early as possible."

The couple said there is satisfaction in being able to save people money.

"We're educators, so we explain how these plans work," Ken Finster said. "The plans can be complicated, but in the end, we love the fact that our clients have confidence in knowing that the decisions they've made are best for them."

As Christians, they believe they are called to serve.

"That helps focus us on our clients, not on ourselves. April is Catholic and I'm Presbyterian, and since we started dating, we've fully supported each other's traditions and learned a lot in the process. We've settled into a Sunday schedule that we truly enjoy: Mass at April's church, a breakfast out, then the service at my church. We've continued to keep that schedule during this time of streaming church services. Thank God nobody is around to hear us standing and singing in our living room," Ken Finster said.

They said they have great memories of Fallbrook/Bonsall, citing "the people, the weather, the geography."

"April graduated from Fallbrook High School, so there's lots of history there," Ken Finster said. "I grew up a bit further south in San Diego. So greater San Diego is a beloved area for us.

"We're huge Chamber of Commerce supporters. Fallbrook is especially lucky to have such a strong, well-managed chamber. We've served on its board and as treasurer. We also support a number of local charities," he said.

The Finsters combined family has seven grown children.

"We're empty nesters now. Hiking, boating and skiing are big with us. And visiting family across the States and in France," he said.

To contact the company, call 760-477-7542 or visit http://cyaninsurance.com.