Our History
Nissen Insurance was founded in 1925 and has been servicing the Jackson County area ever since. Second-generation owner, Donald Nissen took over the firm in 1948. In 1966, Donald added partner, Bob Caven, and rename the firm “Nissen-Caven Agency”. In 1990 Donald’s son, Chris Nissen, joined the organization and took over ownership.
Over the course of 30 years, Chris Nissen has overseen the day-to-day operations of the firm while servicing clients.
Recognizing the need to stay innovative in a fast-changing industry, and wanting to ensure a succession plan for this long-standing organization, Chris formed a partnership with First MainStreet Insurance in the fall of 2020.
First MainStreet Insurance L.C. (FMSI), headquartered in Cedar Rapids, IA, is an organization that was established in 2017 when like minded individuals recognized the value for sustaining the small town insurance agency and its local legacy. The FMSI model focuses on smaller agencies, a lot of them family-run organizations, to perpetuate their business while giving them access to robust resources and carrier markets to better service their clients.
With the support of FMSI, Nissen-Caven Agency gained additional carrier and market resources to further their best-in-class service. The firm’s day-to-day operations continue to be managed locally by Chris, maintaining Nissen-Caven’s local presence and activity in the community while providing the attention clients expect from a local agent.
