The Baringer Hartman Insurance Group (BHIG) has a long standing history as the oldest family owned and operated independent insurance agency in the Upper Bucks County Community. BHIG is today the result of the 2007 merger of the Baringer Associates, Inc. and the Hartman Insurance Agencies. Baringer Associates, Inc. began in 1956, when Norman Baringer began his insurance career selling Life Insurance door to door.
In 1963, he opened a store front office on Rte. 309 and so began his independent agent career. Hartman has its origins in the Quakertown Community dating back to 1913. Originally founded by Ray Hartman, the agency was a staple business in the Quakertown community. Having been sold to a few different owners throughout the years the agency always remained located in Quakertown to better service the community.
Baringer and Hartman remained friendly competitors with their offices directly across the street from each other for many years. It wouldn’t be uncommon for the two agencies to work together for the benefit of a client. Throughout the years both agencies grew by gaining new customers and acquiring smaller agencies.
In 2002, Robert Muir, the last Hartman owner, approached the Baringers to discuss the possibility of acquiring his agency. As he was looking to retire, he didn’t want to sell his agency to some large corporate firm who didn’t understand his clientele. Being a lifetime business to the community and a well- respected organization, the Baringer agency seemed the most suitable solution and a 5 yr. business model began to merge the two businesses together. Both agencies represented some of the same carriers and had very similar business model which made the merger a perfect fit.
Today many of the Hartman staff remains an integral core of the organizational staff and the operation is run by the 2nd Baringer Generation. Throughout the years, many things in independent insurance business have changed, but one thing remains the primary vision and mission statement of the organization, taking care of the client’s needs first in Upper Bucks County and the surrounding community.