Community Highlights: Meet Andrea Diaz-Carter of Andrea Insures

Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Diaz-Carter.

Andrea, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I never set out to become an insurance broker — but looking back, it feels like the most natural path I could have taken.
I earned my Bachelor of Science in Veterinary Science from the University of Arizona with hopes of continuing to veterinary school. Like many graduates during the Great Recession, my career path took an unexpected turn, and I found myself working at a local tech company.
That’s where something interesting happened: every year during open enrollment, my coworkers would come to me, confused about their insurance options and I would readily help them. I had a knack for making it simple, and before long I became the “go-to” person for help during enrollment season.
The truth is, I’ve always understood insurance. My mom has battled cancer four times in her life — the first when she was only 16 years old. Because of her early radiation treatments, she lived with the label “uninsurable.” Growing up, she taught me the importance of understanding coverage, and I learned firsthand how essential insurance is in America. When I was 17, her second cancer diagnosis reshaped how I viewed the role of insurance in protecting families.
So when I told my mom about how I was helping people at work, her response was simple: “Why not make this your career?” My answer: “You mean I could get paid for this?!”
That moment launched me into the insurance industry. I got licensed, and for the past six years I’ve been thriving in a career I truly love. My specialty is Medicare, but I also work with ACA health plans. I’ve found that my personal experiences give me unique insight into helping others — especially veterans. My husband is a disabled Army veteran, and together we’ve had to navigate the VA medical system. That experience now allows me to help other veterans understand how Medicare can complement their VA benefits.
Running my own agency has also given me the flexibility to care for my family while continuing to serve my clients. I adore this work. I would do it for free because I love helping people — but I’m grateful that I get to do it as a profession. I’ve never felt as appreciated as I do by my clients, and I’m proud to serve Arizona’s insurance needs with compassion, clarity, and commitment.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. I started my insurance career in 2019 full of hope, and then, right after my very first season, COVID-19 hit — bringing new challenges with it. I had built my business the “old school” way, through in-person meetings and personal service. But suddenly, face-to-face interactions became very difficult, especially with seniors who were the most vulnerable. It was a scary time to be trying to build a new business, but somehow, I pushed through.

I got creative. I remember setting up Medicare informational booths where I gave away little bottles of hand sanitizer with my business label I made and printed myself on them. At that time, sanitizer was still hard to find, but I had managed to buy it in bulk from a hardware store and repackaged it into smaller containers. It was a simple gesture, but people appreciated it — and it reminded me that during hard times, you make the most of what you have and keep trying.

What really kept me going was the encouragement from my clients. They were so grateful to have someone willing to meet with them in person, even if we both had to stay masked. Their appreciation gave me the motivation to keep building, and it proved that perseverance, creativity, and a belief in yourself can carry you through even the toughest seasons.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My business is a small one person organization. I specialize in Medicare and am branching out into the ACA. I’m known for my personal touches. I still reach out by phone to check in with clients. I built my brand and reputation myself. Working at a website company previously I created my own website and my own branding. Its nothing fancy but its all me. I focus on education first, you can’t make a good decision with your insurance if you don’t have a basic understand of what it is you are deciding. And there is a lot of misinformation out there, so I always strive to stay up to date with the latest information and go to a conferences and trainings every year to keep informed.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I’ve always loved reading, and I’m part of a monthly book club in Goodyear that I look forward to every time we meet. Books allow me to step into another world and experience perspectives I wouldn’t otherwise know. Recently, I read The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, and I’ll admit, I sobbed my eyes out at parts — it was so intense. But that’s one of the things I love most about reading: it builds empathy. And I think being able to see the world through different lenses makes me better at connecting with and serving people in my work.

On the practical side, I also use a number of apps that help me stay organized and efficient. Some are very simple — like Google Calendar, which I absolutely could not live without, since my schedule always has to be managed so carefully. Even though many of my clients aren’t especially tech-savvy, I am, and I often explore new tools to see if they might help me serve people better.

That said, I’m selective. I always evaluate new technology through the lens of: “Will this help me be more productive while still serving people in the way they like to be served?” For example, I recently tested an AI answering service. It worked really well and would have saved me time — but ultimately, I decided against using it. My clients, many of whom are older, really value the personal touch and dislike talking to computers. At the end of the day, what people appreciate most about working with me is that I’m real, authentic, and genuinely here to serve my community.

Pricing:

• my services are free to use

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.AndreaInsures.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreainsures
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andreainsures
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-diaz-a04b6790/

Image Credits
Photos taken by my personal credit. Except for the first one which was taken for me by my Agency.