Meet Jake, make that Mike, from State Farm

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As the agent/owner of the Mike Doyle State Farm Agency, Mike helps residents throughout Baltimore find the right fit for their insurance needs. As a neighbor, you can find him enjoying the outdoors sailing or hiking with his fiancé Hali or hanging out with his cat Mac who he adopted during the pandemic. (Aww!) We caught up with Mike recently to learn more about him.

Hi Mike. How long have you been a Canton resident and how did you end up here?
I have wanted to live in Canton for so long! I was fortunate enough to open my office location on Lakewood Ave. in June 2021 and Hali (finance) and I just moved back into the city in February of this year! It’s so wonderful to be able to walk and bike to the office!

Tell us a little bit about your business, State Farm Insurance.  What services do you offer?
Everyone knows State Farm as the country’s largest provider of Home and Auto Insurance, but my team and I try to do more for our customers than just saving them money on something they are often required to have. To me, that’s the bare minimum, and honestly isn’t hard work for us at all because our rates are so good. I love getting to know my customers better to understand more than just their insurance needs.

On top of home, auto, and boating insurance, State Farm and my agency help our customers with financial planning, retirement savings, life insurance, disability protection, banking, and even pet insurance for all our fur babies! I also just obtained my mortgage license to help with purchases or refinances. Phew… I wear a lot of hats.

We have lots of animal lovers in Canton. What advice can you share about pet insurance?
I recommend reading the fine print on any policies you’re considering buying. The pet insurance industry is not as highly regulated as medical insurance is for humans. Many policies out there have lots of exclusions, waiting periods, or lifetime payout maximums. I’m fortunate to work directly with Trupanion. While certainly not the cheapest, they offer one of the best comprehensive plans, and do not exclude for congenital issues. They can even directly pay to a lot of our local vets and pet hospitals, and they have a 24/7 support team ready to help.

We understand State Farm does some philanthropic work supporting Community Development. Please tell us about the Good Neighbor Grant and/or any other programs.
One of the things I was really surprised to learn about State Farm when I became an agent was its commitment to giving back to the communities we live and work in. Every year State Farm hosts a $25,000 grant program called Neighborhood Assist® where 25 non-profits are selected to receive a grant for their work. This year State Farm selected 100 winners for our 100th year anniversary, 3 of which were in Maryland! They also match 100% of any charitable contributions I make as a small business-owning agent.

When you’re not keeping people safe and insured, what do you do for fun?
I’m really into things that move. I love geeking out over boats and cars, which is ironic because I almost never drive anymore, living so close to my office. I did just buy an electric scooter that I absolutely love, and I try to ride my bike around the park as often as possible!  I’ve been fortunate to travel with my Fiancée, Hali, a few times this year, and that’s always fun. Whenever we’re not traveling, we work on our home, and get caught up binging Marvel shows. We also try to get out to see live music as often as possible. The First Thursdays concerts this year have been awesome. I’m also a Merritt Clubs member and try to work out at least 3-4 days per week. This was the first season I’ve been able to use the pool and it’s amazing!

What do you like most about working in Canton and with the CCA?
Canton is (in my opinion) the best neighborhood in Baltimore! I couldn’t be happier with where my office is located. Being right off Boston Street, and near the Can Company and Safeway parking, there is always tons of parking nearby which makes it easy for my customers to get in and out for appointments. I really value my CCA partnership. My favorite thing about being a State Farm agent is connecting with people in the community, and the CCA has made that a lot easier for me. My goal, in the long run, is to volunteer more of my time and business resources to help Canton and the CCA thrive.

What else would you like the community to know?
I opened this business because I love helping people, and I chose to put my office here in Baltimore because so many in our community lack financial resources, advice, and advocates. My agency exists to serve our customers and get them to a better place, we just happen to sell insurance and financial services. Please give us a call or stop by if you have any insurance, banking, or investing questions. Even if we can’t help you out, we will absolutely point you in the right direction. Coffee is on me!

To contact Mike, call 410-443-455-1944 or email mike@mikedoylesf.com.
911 S. Lakewood Avenue, Canton
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 9-5, Tuesday & Thursday 9-7, Saturday 11-2