Back in the 1950’s, Raymond O’Brien worked for Traveler’s Insurance out of Albany, along with his brother, Jack. His son Robert (known to many as Bob) followed in his footsteps and came to work for Traveler’s, too.

Ray said to his son, Bob, “You know, if you really love insurance, you should start your own company and go out on your own.” As an independent insurance agent, he could advocate for his clients and find the best protection for them, rather than be limited to what a single company could offer.

So Bob and his wife Mary sold their stock in Texaco and opened up an agency on September 1, 1957, just three weeks before their third son, John, was born. Bob initially conducted business out of his home on Harrison Avenue in Glens Falls, then opened an office on Bay Street in 1960. On July 1, 1965, the agency relocated to 38 Lawrence Street.

John’s introduction to insurance

Bob O’Brien, seated. John at top left.
“I did not know coming out of college at Niagara University what I wanted to do,” John says. “At the end of the summer of 1979, my dad came to me and asked if I had ever thought of insurance. He said, if you don’t have anything else to do, why don’t you give it a shot?”

John started work at his father’s agency on September 1, 1979, fresh out of college. The following year, they moved into their current location at 83 Bay Street. Kevin, the baby of the family, came on board, joining O’Brien Insurance in 1995.

O’Brien Insurance is a family business. Not only has it been run by fathers, sons and brothers for 60 years, but the O’Briens care for their clients and employees like family.

Contact:
83 Bay Street
Glens Falls, NY 12801
Fax: 518-793-1685
Phone:518-793-5173
Email: jobrien@obrienagency.com
Website: https://www.obrienagency.com/