Get to Know Us

As your local Independent Insurance Agent, Stafford Insurance offers competitive products from numerous ‘A’ rated insurance companies to best suit your insurance needs. Our professional licensed staff will help you design a program that best protects your financial profile, bringing you the highest value.

Our mission is to exceed the service expectations of our clients. By adding value and a professional relationship to the insurance policies we offer you, we strive to earn your business every day. We have been doing just that since 1881.

We work on your behalf at every point of contact to build a trusted relationship with you, our client. From protecting your home or business to protecting your income and family, you can trust Stafford & Co. to represent your interests. We serve you first, above all others.

A brief history – from James Kay, President

Stafford Insurance has been in operation since 1881. Founded as Stafford & Chase, our agency specialized in the predominant textile and marine trades in our region. At that time, Fall River was a worldwide leader in textiles and the number one producer of fine lace fabrics in the world. John F. Stafford was a prominent local businessman whose family was closely tied to the region’s textile industry. The Stafford Mills still stands to this day, and the Stafford name appears often in City landmarks, streets, and history.

My grandfather, George Kay Sr., was hired in 1914 as an apprentice office worker. In the 1940’s Mr. Stafford suffered an untimely death and his son, Birthwell, and my grandfather continued to operate the Agency, then known as John F. Stafford & Co. George Sr. became President of the corporation and served in that position until his passing in 1971.

In 1971 his son, my father, George Kay Jr., who had worked in the agency since discharging from the Navy after World War II, became President of John F. Stafford Insurance Agency, Inc and held this position until his retirement in 1982. I was hired a year later, after graduating from The University of Vermont with a degree in Finance. Ownership and control of the Agency were back in the family by 1989, and Stafford & Co Insurance is now a third generation family-owned operation with a proud history of 138 years.

Kusinitz Insurance was founded in 1942 by Maury Kusinitz. Mr. Kusinitz, a highly respected local businessman, and his son Stewart Kusinitz merged their agency with Stafford Insurance in 2001, forming one of the region’s largest family-owned insurance agencies. Maury’s business and personal connections with medical professionals remains a cornerstone of our operation. Maury passed away in 2003.

Carrying on the family tradition, we acquired the George B. Lockhart Insurance Agency from the Lockhart family of Somerset on June 1, 2010. Their Somerset office was consolidated with Stafford’s existing Somerset branch and operates from the original Lockhart offices at 1168 County Street in Somerset. 

Now, as we enter our 141st year, we continue to expand our services throughout New England and beyond. Stafford & Co Insurance strives to remain as the standard of excellence for insurance and financial services in our market area. We look forward to assisting you with all your personal and business insurance needs and providing sound products and sound advice.

—James (Jay) Kay

Trusted Choice Agents are insurance and financial services firms whose access to multiple companies and commitment to quality service enable us to offer our clients competitive pricing, a broad choice of products and unparalleled advocacy.

As a Trusted Choice Agency, we are dedicated to you and are committed to treating you as a person, not a policy. This commitment means we shall:

• Work with you to identify the insurance and financial services that are right for you, your family or your business, and use our access to multiple companies to deliver those products.
• Guide you through the claims process for a prompt and fair resolution of your claim.
• Help solve problems related to your coverage or account.
• Explain the coverages and options available to you through our agency, at your request.
• Return your phone calls and emails promptly and respond to your requests in a timely manner.
• Provide 24/7 services for our customers, offering any or all of the following: emergency phone numbers, Internet account access, e-mail and call center services.
• Use our experience and multiple company relationships to customize your coverage as needed.
• Commit our staff to continuing education so they may be more knowledgeable in serving you.
• Treat you with respect and courtesy.
• Conduct our business in an ethical manner.