Agency History


9 Decades of Resiliency

The Carrico Maldegen Insurance Agency has a rich history of customer-focused care and generational knowledge dating back to the late 1920s when Art Mains opened Mains Insurance Agency in Dearborn, Michigan. In 1931, the agency began its long-standing and uninterrupted relationship of representing Auto-Owners Insurance Company.

Client Centered

In the early 1950s, Art’s son-in-law Bob Maldegen joined Mains Insurance Agency. When Art retired in the early 1960s, Bob and his business partner Ray Chase purchased the agency. Between 1960 and 1975, Bob’s vision of expansion led Mains Insurance to purchase 13 other insurance agencies and add numerous insurance carriers. These efforts allowed the agency to provide a higher level of service to its customers.

In the late 1960s, Bob’s nephew Mike Maldegen joined him at Mains Insurance Agency. They worked side-by-side, expanding the agency to the point where they needed to decide how to accommodate the growth. So, in 1971 the Mains Insurance Agency was renamed Fairlane Associates, and in 1976 built its own headquarters, the Fairlane Insurance Building in Dearborn.

As a result of Bob’s and Mike’s leadership, Fairlane Associates was recognized by a prominent business publication as one of the largest insurance agencies in the Detroit area. In 1988 Bob Maldegen retired, passing the torch to Mike, who along with his business partners Carl Fricke and Bob Charette purchased Bob’s agency interest. 

The 1990s paved the way for more agency perpetuation, along with setting it up for the future. In 1990, Bob Charette hired and mentored Richard Carrico, which was instrumental to Richard’s development in the industry. By the early 1990s, Carl Fricke retired, selling his shares to Mike Maldegen and Bob Charette. In 1996, the agency was acquired by Comerica Bank. 

Almost two decades later, in 2014, Richard partnered with Mike to purchase the agency back. Hoping to bridge its past with the future, they renamed the agency to Carrico Maldegen Insurance Agency and moved to Northville, Michigan. 

Today, Carrico Maldegen is a full-service independent insurance agency, led by its president Richard, who is mentoring his son Nick to one day become the next generation of leadership. The agency retains a rich history of family stewardship, personal relationships, and utmost customer care, ensuring that the valued traditions set forth almost 100 years ago will continue for generations to come.