About Us

Our History

"United Risk Services" has a long and rich local history. In 1969, Carl Belden, the agency's founder, built the building at 122 NW 2nd St. in Stuart that the agency still occupies today. Then, in 1978 he partnered with Ed Shaw and Jim & Diane (Shaw) Belden. This partnership came resulted in a new name- "Shaw-Belden Insurance Agency." Years later in 2019, Lauren & Donna Volz purchased the agency. Lauren was a long-time employee who invested into the future of the agency upon retirement of the previous owners. This resulted in the current business name of "United Risk Services".

In January of 2022, Lauren made the decision to partner with First MainStreet Insurance in order to bring additional resources to United Risk Services’ client community. First MainStreet Insurance L.C. (FMSI), headquartered in Cedar Rapids, IA, is an organization that was established in 2017 when likeminded 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, United Risk Services gained additional carrier and market resources to further their best-in-class service. The day-to-day operations are overseen by local staff – Jenyse Durham and Diane Hawley. Together the team maintains the firm’s local presence and activity in the community while providing the attention clients expect from a local agent.

Our Mission 

To assist companies with protecting and maximizing assets, resources, and opportunities.

Our Values

We are EXCEPTIONAL.

We are COLLABORATORS.

We are RESOURCEFUL.