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Emmerich: Reiner Gerritsen is now retiring

Emmerich.
Reiner Gerritsen is retiring. Son Marvin, who runs an Allianz branch, takes over the provincial premises in Emmerich.

After more than 40 years at Provincial, there are only a few working days left for Reiner Gerritsen: the 65-year-old will be retiring on February 1st. This means that in the future provincial will only have one branch in Emmerich, namely on Steinstraße near Lars Cremer. But the Gerritsen name will not disappear at Speelberger Strasse 210: Son Marvin Gerritsen (33), who runs the Allianz branch at Gasthausstrasse 28, is moving into his father’s premises.

In Emmerich, insurance consultants are often on first-name terms with customers

Reiner Gerritsen began his apprenticeship as an office clerk at Opel Lorenz in the early 1970s and ended up at Provincial on February 1, 1980. In 1981, he took over a branch when four colleagues started at the same time: “There were eight shops in Emmerich at the time. There was a provincial in every district,” the Emmericher recalls.

What has changed over the years? “The customer is becoming more hybrid. Means: He inquires on the net. But many of them still sign up in the branch.” The 65-year-old is on first terms with many customers. No wonder, since Emmerich is a village, there are often personal contacts, and many customers have been on board for years. “This is also due to the tasks: I deal with the settlement of claims up to 5000 euros here.”


Digitization is both a curse and a blessing

Gerritsen says openly about the increased digitization: “I’m not that tech-savvy. That’s why it’s both a curse and a blessing.” You can quickly load photos into the file and send out the craftsman, which is an advantage.


Gerritsen has the “master’s degree” in the insurance industry: he is an insurance specialist, and he did it while studying after work: “In the end, I was in Düsseldorf every evening after work for six weeks,” he remembers. He is also authorized to train.

Damage settled while on vacation

He sees the change into retirement “with mixed feelings: you slip a bit into insignificance. On the other hand, I had a lot of appointments in the field in the evenings. I won’t miss them.”

He already has a few nice things in mind that he would like to devote himself to: “My daughter and I have a horse together. And I ride a motorbike.” In February I’ll go skiing for the first time: “I haven’t had that for a long time.” He rarely took longer vacations in one go because, as a lone fighter (he only employs one office worker part-time to support him), he was always there for the customers wanted to be there. “I always had my mobile phone on when I was on vacation.” Even on a three-day bike ride to Trier, he still settled claims on the Fiets.

Only the study brought the complete perspective

Son Marvin has a different insurance structure. In his generation, it’s not difficult for him to take full advantage of digitization: “That has many advantages in customer service,” says the 33-year-old: “But we also have customers who we look after completely analogously.” Ever since Allianz- In the 2015 branch, he held online appointments, which has been standard since Corona. Two other employees, a part-time employee and a temporary worker are moving to Speelberger Straße, where there will be an extension for another office. “We look forward to the improvement. And the parking facilities.”

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