REInsurePro is proud to recognize Jacob Schattner of Fortress Insurance as our Agent of the Month for March 2025! Operating out of Queens, New York, Jacob and his brother, Jonathan Schattner, have been servicing real estate investors for nearly 10 years. With backgrounds in law and a deep understanding of insurance foundations, they have built Fortress Insurance into a trusted resource for investors. We had the opportunity to sit down with Jacob and learn more about his journey, insights, and advice for fellow agents.  

Q: How long have you been working with investors? 

A: We’ve been working with investors since the inception of our business 8 years ago. In the beginning, we were focused on big multi-family operators more than direct relationships with investors. And then, over time, we moved our niche to owners and operators of portfolios, and our target audience moved away from friends and family to lender introductions, to investors and hedge funds. 

Q: What led you to become an insurance agent? 

A: I started Fortress Insurance with my brother, Jonathan Schattner. We’re both attorneys. When we were in law school, my torts professor was a renowned scholar and expert in insurance law. He always discussed how insurance was the foundation for so much of tort policy and a lot of American law and business structures. That whet my appetite for my first job at Deloitte, consulting directly with insurance companies. So, I already had a very strong head start in insurance. I also very much appreciated how insurance combined product and service, which are both great ways to shine when it comes to working against competition.   

Q: What are the biggest challenges you are seeing in the insurance market for investors, and how are you advising them through those challenges? 

A: Running a real estate business, especially renovation and construction projects, is already a lot. We like to guide our clients as much as we can on the insurance front. So obvious things like looking to keep their pricing down and always making sure they have the coverages they need.  

Q: What steps do you take to educate your clients about their policies and the options they have? 

A: Off the bat, something we believe is very important, aside from sending them their proposal packet, we’ll send them a summary of the coverages, so they don’t have to shuffle through all the files but still understand what they are purchasing and how they’re protected with that specific insurance policy. As needed, we’ll also get on the phone with them. A lot of our investors are extremely busy. But of course, there may come a time when the investor needs to have a better understanding of their coverage. So, we’ll set up a call to walk them through it and do another analysis of their portfolio if necessary. But really, it’s our upfront transparency and the coverage summary which helps our clients and gives them the confidence to make that purchase.   

Q: How do you build trust and long-term relationships with your clients? 

A: It’s just going the extra mile every time. So, it’s really not an insurance thing. Our clients know that we will do whatever we can for them. If they have a loan coming up and they need insurance to get the loan done, we will make sure they get to that closing table. If they need to have certain coverages added, we will find it for them at the best price and with the best terms. It’s really about listening to our investors and knowing what their needs are even though they might not be so aware of it themselves because insurance is a bit more abstract to most investors.  

Q: How does REInsurePro benefit you and your investor clients? 

A: The biggest benefit is insurance management. Like I said, it takes a lot of work to run a real estate business. So, the insurance management we get through REInsurePro–scheduling locations on a portfolio, selecting occupancy statuses, pricing transparency, etc., is a huge benefit.  

Q: Without giving too much away, what advice would you give to other REInsurePro agents? 

A: Talking to other business owners has been very helpful for us, not even necessarily those in the insurance market. We want to know what other businesses are doing to help service their clients. Again, you could be selling a widget online or you could be selling and providing some sort of service. And again, that’s why I like insurance, it’s that combination of the two and it really relates to almost every industry. So, my advice to other agents is to talk to other business owners, get an understanding of what they’re doing, and if there’s any software that has helped them because maybe that software could help you.   

Jacob’s dedication to his clients and expertise in the investor space make him a valuable part of the REInsurePro network. Thank you, Jacob, Jonathan, and everyone at Fortress Insurance, for your hard work, and congratulations on being our Agent of the Month!