Roberto Castellanos of Novamar Insurance México
Roberto Castellanos Omaña (Mexico City, 1962) is the international managing director of Novamar Insurance México and a prominent member of the national board of directors of the Asociación Mexicana de Agentes de Seguros y Fianzas, A.C. (AMASFAC). In his free time, he enjoys reading, golf, swimming and horseback riding, as well as active participation in several non-profit organizations. In his professional life, Castellanos is a recognized insurance expert with more than 30 years of experience, one of the few brokers in Mexico with the highest class of insurance license (Class C), and is respected by companies and colleagues both inside and outside the sector.
A graduate in Marketing and Communications at Universidad Iberoamericana, his entry into the insurance industry was precocious, starting with the international area of Brockman and Schuh in Mexico City even before he graduated. During his career, he has held executive positions at various insurance companies and international brokerage firms in both Mexico and the United States, working for such prestigious firms as Johnson & Higgins, AIG Mexico and BBV Probursa, as well as being a consultant for companies such as Marsh and Mexipass.
While living in San Diego, already an expert in national and international insurance programs and the development of insurance products, he met Craig Chamberlain, president of Novamar Insurance Group, a California company founded in 1987. Chamberlain wanted to offer foreigners in Mexico an insurance company geared specifically to them.
“We agreed immediately, applying all our previous experience to an insurance brokerage company that served the foreign market in Mexico. For me, it was a continuation of what I had done initially, first with global companies, then in charge of international areas and as commercial director,” recalls Castellanos.
Novamar: Personalized Attention and Customized Products
In 2009, Novamar Insurance México began operations in Puerto Vallarta under the name Mariners, as a subsidiary of Novamar Insurance Group, changing to their current name in 2012.
From the beginning, the mission of Castellanos and Chamberlain was to serve foreign investors, knowing that they are unfamiliar with Mexico’s procedures and legal aspects.
“People come with different expectations about how to secure an investment, mainly in real estate, based on the way it is done in the United States or Canada. Our mission is not simply to sell them a policy, but to advise them, protect their investment and teach them how to protect it. The difference is in knowing the customer, understanding what they need and consulting with them. This gives them more confidence and a guarantee that their property is safe.”
Novamar Insurance México does not offer generic policies, but specializes in designing original programs, both commercial and personal lines, including auto, boat, homeowners, medical, travel and condo insurance. Recently, they have also developed a highly successful medical tourism program.
“Instead of going with any program available on the market, we design our own. We are always innovating and looking for what more we can do to guarantee the satisfaction and confidence of our customers. First, we conduct in-depth market research to identify customer-specific needs. Then, we personally negotiate with established insurance companies to provide unique and exclusive programs for our clients. These programs offer many advantages over typical insurance. We have negotiated things that did not exist in the insurance industry, coverages that were not in the Mexican market.”
A Trustworthy Company
Castellanos is aware of the dangers that exist in the insurance industry. “There are people who come to Mexico and sell insurance without a license and offer poor, unprofessional advice, without training and based purely on contacts. They do not know the market or the customer’s needs. The insured remains vulnerable, with no real protection. This undermines confidence in the insurance industry.”
Therefore, it is important that people who want to take out a policy “seek a company that is legally constituted and licensed, works directly with insurance companies, has a professional liability policy and guarantees that clients are covered for any incident. At Novamar, our goal is to get you paid promptly and ensure that what is established in the policy includes the remuneration and conditions you need to restore you to where you were before an incident or accident.”
Novamar Insurance México is headquartered in Puerto Vallarta, with offices in Cancun-Playa del Carmen and San Miguel de Allende and a presence in Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey. For more information and to contract insurance programs, call 01 (800) 627-4637 (Mexico) or 949-274-4111 (USA) or visit novamarinsurance.com.mx.