Thank you for your support!

Our event is now sold out.

Just a few weeks ago, on August 9th, Tropical Storm Debby laid down unprecedented rainfall that left many of our friends and neighbors with uninhabitable homes and destroyed property.

Some of these same good folks were still recovering from a similar storm just three years prior.

The devastation and heartbreak has affected many families from Woodhull to Cameron, Greenwood to Rexville, Jasper to Canisteo

The overwhelming support that has followed is a testament to the unity and compassion that defines our community and the strong bond we share living in the foothills of the Allegany Mountains.

In that spirit, the Ryan Agency is sponsoring a Stearns BBQ Dinner pickup at our office on 57 Broadway Mall in Hornell on September 12th from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM.

ALL MONIES collected for this event will go directly to the United Way’s Steuben County Flood Relief Fund, which will be disbursed directly to the victims of this tragedy.

We are pre-selling tickets for $15 each, limiting this to the first 250 tickets sold. Our staff will distribute the dinners outside our office on Broadway on that Thursday afternoon (9/12). The dinner will include a Stearns BBQ Chicken half, Potato and Macaroni Salad, Roll, and butter. We’re also working on including a sweet treat from one of the area's finest bakers!

You can buy tickets online by clicking here. Thanks to our partnership with the United Way of the Southern Tier, all donations are tax-deductible.

If people would like to make a donation only (not order a dinner), the form linked above allows for that as well!

We are deeply grateful to see our community support those who are victims of this storm. We invite you to join us in this important cause. Your contribution, no matter how big or small, will make a significant difference. Thank you for standing with us and for your unwavering support for your friends and neighbors!

About the Author: Jeff Ryan has been a licensed insurance agent since 1978, later becoming a full-time insurance professional in 1983. Since then, he has been the principal of The Ryan Agencies with offices in Hornell, Jasper, and Wellsville. The agencies serve approximately 15,000 clients in New York and Pennsylvania. Jeff holds numerous credentials including the Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC), Accredited Advisor in Insurance (AAI), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) designations. He holds a Master's Degree from the American College. Jeff enjoys writing about all things insurance and welcomes your questions and feedback.

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Auto Rates and Finger Prints: Both are Unique to You!

By Jeff Ryan • April 7, 2026

Factors You Can’t Easily Control These factors are built into your profile, but still play a major role: Your location: Claim trends, traffic, and weather patterns where you principally drive. Your age and driving experience: Especially for younger drivers. Other drivers in your household: Their age and driving history. The vehicle you own: Unique to the Year, Make, Model, and Sub-model’s damageability and cost of parts/labor. These factors significantly influence price differences, but they don’t tell the whole story. Factors You Can Control This is where habits and wise decisions can make a real difference: Your driving habits: Minimizing tickets and accidents can have a direct impact. Your coverage choices: Liability limits, deductibles, and optional coverages can vary widely. Your insurance consistency: Avoiding lapses in coverage. Your annual mileage: How much and how often you drive. Discount opportunities: Bundling, pay-in-full, NYS defensive driving course. Your Insurance Score (Yes—You Can Influence It) Insurance companies use a credit-based insurance score as part of their rating process. While it’s based on financial behaviors, it is not permanent—and it can be improved over time. Simple habits like: Paying bills on time Reducing outstanding debt Avoiding excessive credit inquiries… can positively impact your score—and in turn, your insurance rates. Your insurance score is under your control and a worthy mid to long-term project in and of itself. For more information on what you can do to positively influence your score, see: Great 8 Tip #8 - What's Credit Got to Do with Insurance? How Can I Improve My Auto Insurance Score Why Comparing Rates Doesn’t Work When someone says, “I only pay…” , the uniqueness of their fingerprint is missing. What are their: Deductibles Driving history Insurance score Household profile Coverage limits: what they may be giving up in terms of protection. Price without context can be misleading and discouraging.