About the Founder

Jason Collum is a full-time independent life and health insurance agent. While his focus is on the group benefits market (major and limited medical health insurance, disability, life, dental and vision insurance), he also writes and assists clients with individual coverage, such as term life insurance, Medicare supplements, disability insurance and long-term care insurance.

Jason manages employee beneifts for several groups ranging in size from 10 to more than 1,200. He is licensed in Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia, and can write life, health and accident/injury insurance through the best insurance carriers available in each of those states. For more on our insurance and risk management services, please see the health insurance link in the column at left.

Collum also oversees production of the Apartment Finder & Newcomers Guide magazines of Tupelo and Oxford, Mississippi, a business he founded in 1998, and is creative head of the marketing division, which creates and assists businesses with marketing plans and materials.

Collum's career began in the newspaper business. In 1992 he began working for his hometown newspaper, The Red Bay News, in Red Bay, Alabama. He started out as a stringer, and worked his way into the news editor's position there before accepting a position on the copy desk of the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal in Tupelo, Mississippi, in 1994. Collum handled news and features pages design work for several years, eventually becoming copy desk chief/design editor of the newspaper, which is the third-largest daily newspaper in the state. He left the Daily Journal briefly in 2000 to work on the copy desk of The Sun Herald, the daily newspaper of Biloxi/Gulfport, Mississippi, but returned to the Journal in May. He left the Daily Journal again in January 2001 to work for the American Family Association, complete his bachelor's degree at The University of Mississippi, and focus on growing his own business. In November 2003 he established Jason Collum and Associates, LLC, a limited liability company in the state of Mississippi. He holds an associates degree from Itawamba Community College and a Bachelor of Arts degree from The University of Mississippi.

He is an active member of the Rotary Club of Tupelo, and he was named the Tupelo club's Rotarian of the Year for 2007. In the club he is editor of the weekly club newsletter, RotaryView, and Webmaster for the club Web site, www.tupelorotary.com. He is a member of the Community Development Foundation of Tupelo/Lee County, the Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association, the Oxford/Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce, and the National Association of Health Underwriters. He is a member of First Baptist Church Saltillo, where he serves as a deacon and Sunday School teacher.

What is our philosophy on customer service?

Strictly put, we adhere to the highest ethical standards in insurance sales and service and pledge to give our clients, whether they be individuals or groups of two or 2,000, the best possible service with one focus in mind -- the best interest of the policy holder. We are committed to NEVER placing commission ahead of the interests of our clients. "If you don't think about commission, how can you make a living?" we've ben asked. Well, our philosophy is this: If we focus on the needs of the client and represent them the best we can, commission will take care of itself. Yes, making money is important -- but it's not everything.

We believe in education and communication in insurance sales and service. We don't want anyone applying for a policy unless they understand what that insurance coverage will and will not do, and we do not want them to apply for a policy without making the determination, based upon all the facts at hand, of whether that policy is right for them.

After the sale, through ongoing communications, we assist clients with any issues that arise and help sort out claims issues, being careful to fully adhere to HIPAA rules and regulations. Whether it be developing paycheck stuffers to communicate with and help educate our clients and their employees, or assisting in developing Web-based communications, we feel strongly that ongoing communication is vital to helping our clients receive the most benefit from the insurance coverage they select.

We don't "low-ball" on quotes, either. When we present a proposal for insurance, we tell you straight-up how the rates were obtained and the likelihood of "rate-ups," or the final rates an insurer may present based upon underwriting determination.

Our pledges and practices are simple, and come from the Golden Rule: We only want to do the best we can for others, because that's how we would want to be treated.

Company History
Jason Collum and Associates, LLC, was formed in November 2003, but actually has a history dating several years back.

Its earliest roots trace back to 1994 when Collum began freelancing graphics, photography and writing work under the operating name of NSN Productions. Eventually, that name was changed to Collum Media. This name served for several years until 2003, when a more expansive name was chosen to allow for the full scope of services covered.

Collum began publishing the Apartment Finder & Newcomers Guide magazine for Tupelo/Greater Lee County, Mississippi, in January 1998. That edition began with six advertisers, and was held in 12 tabloid-size pages. In 1999, the Apartment Finder & Newcomers Guide changed to a notebook-size full-color magazine format. In October 2001, Collum launched the Oxford/Ole Miss/Lafayette County edition of the magazine. In February 2003, apt-finder.com, the official Web site for the Apartment Finder & Newcomers Guide magazines, was launched, replacing a smaller, lower-profile site. Today, the Apartment Finder & Newcomers Guide magazines and Web site reach thousands of movers, relocators and others in North Mississippi and across the United States. Additional markets will be added in the future.

The company was formed to accommodate growth to handle the increasing business in the way of publishing and advertising, and to also allow Collum to provide insurance clients the best service possible. Collum is an independent insurance broker, licensed in a host of states to advise, provide assistance in, and make health insurance and life insurance products available to groups and individuals. For more information on the insurance offerings, click here.

In addition to publishing and insurance, Collum and Associates is a full-service advertising company, handling advertising and marketing campaigns for banks, real estate businesses, political campaigns and a host of other professionals.

Who are the Associates?

The Associates are not necessarily employees of Jason Collum and Associates, LLC. The Associates are also professionals in their own fields, from fellow independent insurance brokers and agents, to printing company owners and independent Web site developers. Collum and Associates can handle most requests that come from our customers, but when specialized services are required, we are happy to refer customers, free of charge from us, to our outside associates who may be better equipped to handle special requests, specifically in the areas of publishing and advertising.

Some of the Associates include John Slater, president of Gulf Guaranty Employee Benefit Services, Jackson, Miss.; Charles Warren , independent insurance broker in Tupelo; Rubye Del Harden, owner and CEO of SprintPrint, and S.N.A.P. in Tupelo and The Red Bay News in Red Bay, Ala.; and Paul Chaney, VP of Marketing for Blogging Systems LLC.