50+ years · Independent Insurance Agency
Fulton & Montgomery County's Independent Insurance Experts
Independent insurance for the families, homes, and small businesses of Amsterdam, Johnstown, Gloversville, and the Mohawk Valley. We shop multiple carriers so you don't have to.
50+
Years Serving the Region
Independent
Not Captive to One Carrier
Multiple
Carriers Compared
Local
Claims Support & Service
A local insurance agency built for Fulton & Montgomery County
Bashwinger Insurance has worked the same blocks of downtown Amsterdam, the same back roads of Mayfield and Broadalbin, and the same farm lanes outside Canajoharie for more than five decades. We write coverage for the kind of life people actually live up here — older homes that have changed hands three times, contractor trucks that move between job sites in three counties, camps tucked off Great Sacandaga Lake, and small Main Street businesses that have been in the same family longer than most insurance carriers have existed.
Because we're an independent agency and not a captive one, we don't have a single brand pushing us to sell one product. Instead we have appointments with several regional and national carriers and we run your home, auto, or business through all of them. You get a like-for-like comparison, you keep your policy with the carrier that wins, and when something goes wrong we're the people who pick up the phone — not a script-reading agent in a call center.
That model works particularly well in this part of upstate New York. Fulton and Montgomery County aren't the suburbs: we have housing stock that predates two World Wars, river-corridor flood risk that surprises a lot of online quoters, and a winter that ends careers for inadequate roofing. A national 1-800 product doesn't price for that. We do.
How it works
Getting covered is straightforward
Tell us your situation
Call, email, or fill out the quote form. We ask the right questions — no long forms before you talk to a real person.
We shop the market
We run your coverage through multiple regional and national carriers and compare price, terms, and fit — not just the cheapest number.
You choose what fits
We walk you through your options clearly. No pressure, no upsell — just an honest comparison so you pick what makes sense for your household or business.
We're here at claim time
When something goes wrong, you call us — not a 1-800 number. We walk you through the claim, advocate with the carrier, and make sure you're treated right.
What we cover
Personal & commercial coverage written across the Mohawk Valley
From the most common policies to the specialty lines no one warns you about, we write coverage tailored to the actual risks of living and working in upstate New York.
Home Insurance
Homeowners coverage built around upstate New York realities — older housing stock, ice dams, oil heat, and rural risk.
Explore coverageAuto Insurance
NY auto coverage tuned for Fulton and Montgomery County drivers — winter roads, deer country, and rural commutes.
Explore coverageBusiness Insurance
BOP, general liability, commercial property, and workers comp for small employers across the Mohawk Valley.
Explore coverageRenters Insurance
Affordable renters coverage for Amsterdam, Gloversville, Johnstown, and surrounding rental markets.
Explore coverageMotorcycle Insurance
Bike coverage with seasonal storage discounts for Adirondack-bound riders.
Explore coverageFlood Insurance
NFIP and private flood policies for Mohawk River corridor properties.
Explore coverageUmbrella Insurance
Extra liability protection above your home and auto policies — usually $150–$300 a year for $1M.
Explore coverageCommercial Vehicle Insurance
Coverage for contractor trucks, work vans, and fleets registered in NY.
Explore coverage
Our story
Three generations of Mohawk Valley insurance
The agency began in the early 1970s under Billy Bashwinger, who opened on Market Street in Amsterdam to serve neighbors and small business owners who weren't being well-served by the big-name companies of the day. Billy passed the agency to his son Lee, who modernized the carrier mix and grew the commercial book through Fulton County. Today Bashwinger Insurance continues to operate from the same downtown Amsterdam location, with the same family philosophy: every client is a relationship, not a policy number.
Our carrier partners
We shop across 35+ carriers to find your best fit
Where we work
Insurance for Fulton & Montgomery County, NY
We serve every town from the southern Adirondacks down through the Mohawk River corridor. Click your county or town to see the coverage details and risks specific to your area.
County Hub
Fulton County, NY
Serving Johnstown, Gloversville, Northville, Broadalbin, and more.
View county pageCounty Hub
Montgomery County, NY
Serving Amsterdam, Canajoharie, Fonda, Fort Plain, and more.
View county pageTown pages
Amsterdam
Montgomery County, NY
Johnstown
Fulton County, NY
Gloversville
Fulton County, NY
Northville
Fulton County, NY
Broadalbin
Fulton County, NY
Canajoharie
Montgomery County, NY
Fonda
Montgomery County, NY
Fort Plain
Montgomery County, NY
Mayfield
Fulton County, NY
St. Johnsville
Montgomery County, NY
Common questions from Fulton & Montgomery County residents
What is the difference between an independent agent and a captive agent?
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A captive agent works for one insurance company and can only sell that company's policies. An independent agent — like Bashwinger Insurance — represents many carriers and shops your coverage across all of them. That means we can compare price, coverage, and underwriting appetite to find what actually fits your situation in Fulton or Montgomery County, instead of pushing the only product we're allowed to sell.
How many insurance carriers does Bashwinger work with?
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We have appointments with multiple regional and national carriers covering home, auto, business, and specialty lines in New York. The exact lineup we quote you depends on what you're insuring, your ZIP code, and your loss history — but you're never locked into a single company. If your renewal jumps next year, we re-shop the market for you, not just your current carrier.
We have an older home in Gloversville. Will you still be able to insure it?
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Yes — older housing is one of the things we know best in this region. Many companies decline or surcharge homes with knob-and-tube wiring, fuse boxes, oil tanks, or older roofs. We know which of our carriers will write those risks and at what price, and we'll tell you straight if a small upgrade (a panel swap, a roof certification) would unlock a meaningfully better rate.
Do I really need flood insurance in the Mohawk Valley?
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If your property is anywhere near the Mohawk River, Schoharie Creek, or one of the smaller tributaries running through Amsterdam, Canajoharie, Fonda, or Fort Plain, the answer is usually yes — even if you're not in a FEMA-designated high-risk zone. Standard homeowners policies do not cover flood damage. We write both NFIP and private flood policies and can pull your property's flood zone in a single call.
Why use a local agent instead of a 1-800 number or app?
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When a tree comes down across your driveway in Northville at 2 a.m., or your shop in Johnstown gets broken into on a Sunday, you don't want to navigate a phone tree from a call center in another state. We answer the phone, we know your file, and we walk claims through with you. That local accountability is the entire reason this agency has lasted 50+ years in Fulton and Montgomery County.
Get Your Free Insurance Quote Today
No obligation. Local agents. 50+ years serving Fulton & Montgomery County.