About Us

Don Bates Insurance dates back to the late 1890’s although Don Bates did not acquire the agency until 1959.  At that time, the Colorado Springs population was around 100,000 residents, and Don operated the agency with only one part-time assistant. The community and the agency have grown substantially over the years.  Colorado Springs now has over 600,000 residents, and the agency has 16 full-time employees.

Don Bates Insurance follows a “Here Today…..Here Tomorrow” philosophy, which includes giving personal attention to each of our customers. Being locally owned, we operate from just one location, which is conveniently located in Old Colorado City on the Westside of Colorado Springs.  Our insurance carriers include nationally and regionally recognized names such as The Hartford, Safeco, Colorado Casualty, Acuity, Allied, Auto-Owners, and several others. 

Don Bates is active with the agency, and he handles customers in the fields of Commercial Business, Aviation, Personal Lines, Bonds and Life Insurance. 

 

 

 

Our commercial business division here at Don Bates Insurance is capably led by Barbara Ricketts, who is celebrated her 40th year with the agency in 2010. Barbara’s department handles many different types of accounts, including contractors, retail stores, small garage operations, habitational and manufacturing risks.  The department also specializes in aviation insurance for private airplanes and fixed base operations. 

Barbara Bates (Don’s daughter) manages our Personal Lines Department, and she is partial owner of the agency with her father. Barbara has been working in this capacity for the past 25 years. Prior to Don Bates Insurance, her career started as a Commercial Casualty Underwriter for USF&G Insurance Company.  Barbara’s personal lines division focuses on “total account” selling, including personal automobiles, homes, landlord properties, boats, and personal umbrella exposures. 

We strive to provide superior customer service, with careful selection of the best coverage for each particular client at an affordable premium.  Our agents believe in educating the customers through complete analysis of their policies on a periodic basis.

Together, we participate in several local organizations, including Junior Achievement, Airport Users Organization, Colorado Springs Country Club, Soil Savers, El Paso Club, Tuesday Luncheon Club, Colorado Springs Executives Association, Winter Night Club, Humane Society, and the Pikes Peak Regional Development Corporation. 

Our agency is firmly established in the Colorado Springs area, and we are celebrating our 52nd year in business.  We intend to serve our customers for many years to come through careful management of our staff, our client base, and our proud line-up of the excellent insurance markets we represent.