Howell-Craig’s Story

Howell-Craig Insurance Agency Inc. is a family owned business which has been serving your community for over 60 years. Raymond Howell started the agency in 1960 with a vision to help the local community with their insurance needs. Pat Craig joined the agency in 1989 after retiring from the US Army and Darla Howell Craig came to work with her husband in 2000. The agency moved to their present location at 502 E. Main Street in Cumberland in 2010.



In the 1960s and early 1970s, there were quite a few of the run-from-out-of-the house insurance companies formed in rural areas. Some were just agents for one company while others like Mr. Howell tried to associate with various companies so they were able to offer more types of coverage. Independent agents gave their customers the opportunity to pick the best coverage from a variety of sources.

Mr. Howell built up his business over the years and enjoyed serving his friends and neighbors as well as customers from all over the region. Around 1989, Mr. Howell was getting ready to retire from the insurance business; his son-in-law, Patrick Craig had retired from the Army after 20 years of service and moved his family back to the Cumberland area. It was the perfect opportunity for Mr. Howell to transition out of the insurance world while his son-in-law became a quick study of the business. They worked together for a couple of years and then Mr. Craig moved the office to his home, eventually devoting the basement to the business. By this time it was called the “Howell-Craig Insurance Agency” and then as the business grew it was eventually incorporated.

Ron and Melinda Yerian purchased the agency in January 2018. Darla stayed on to help Melinda ease into ownership and then Darla retired in April 2019. Melinda manages the business and continues to help our friends, neighbors and customers understand their insurance needs and give that hometown service they have grown to expect from Howell-Craig Insurance.