ALTAMONT — After 40 years in business, the Clickman Agency has been sold to another family-owned insurance company, the Merriam Agency.

Clickman Insurance Agency was founded 40 years ago by Marshall Clickman. His son, Leonard Clickman, said his father’s idea was to “sell a good, safe and secure insurance policy, and to provide the best customer service available,” in a letter he sent out to customers.

Marshall Clickman died in 1999, and his wife, Virginia, along with his son, continued to run the agency with the same philosophy.

“In this fast and vastly changing world today, I feel it is in the best interest of our customers at the Clickman Agency to transition the servicing of your accounts to Brian Merriam and the Merriam Agency,” said Clickman in the letter. 

The Merriam Agency, in Schenectady, is a fourth-generation, family-owned and operated insurance agency, and, according to Clickman, is “highly regarded in the insurance industry.”

Brian Merriam, president of the Merriam Agency, has been with the company since 1983, and said it does business throughout the country, but maintains a “client comes first” atmosphere.

“When I first met with Leonard and learned of the opportunity to purchase the agency, I was most interested in the commitment that he and his staff demonstrate toward you, the most important person in an insurance agency,” said Merriam, according to a release from the agency. 

The office in Altamont will remain open for several months while the transition is made, and all business will eventually be transferred to the office on Broadway in Schenectady.

Merriam said the change-over would afford Clickman clients a broader range of services, including more insurance companies to choose from, life insurance, individual and group health, disability, and long-term care insurance, and retirement and investment planning.