Horse Sense

Most are self-employed and own stables or farms with many employees — yet few had succession plans in place. "There was a unique opportunity for succession planning that nobody was addressing," Rubin says. "We could help, whether with insurance programs, key-person or buyout coverage, and they were very open to it."

Retirement and risk planning were other big needs for most of Green's and Rubin's clients. The majority of assets on a farm go right back into the farm, for equipment, maintenance and stock — all those horses — with little leftover for retirement or insurance premiums. And the uneven cash flows characteristic of horse farms — which spend all their money in the fall, buying horses, and then see a windfall in the spring, when they sell the animals — weren't helping, either.

"There's a real ebb and flow when it comes to cash flow," Green says. "We get around it by working with them to set up single-pay insurance policies or work out other payment plans."

Green and Rubin also recommend waiver of premium riders and DI coverage for most of their clients. "Horses are a variable," Green says. "You don't know what's going to happen, day to day. You could have a sweet, gentle horse, but one day, they could wake up on the wrong side of the stall, kick you in the leg and you're incapacitated."

Coverage for clients working around temperamental horses isn't always a breeze to get. But after years in the business, Green and Rubin now know the companies to call first. "Most carriers will not even consider a jockey because of their occupation," Green says. "We know which insurance companies are willing to."

Outpacing the competition

That specialized expertise has paid off. Today, Green, Rubin and Payne manage about $125 million in investments and do little marketing.

Most of the company's business comes from referrals — either through word-of-mouth from current clients or passed on via the Green Group and other reciprocal relationships with accountants and attorneys. Green and Rubin also host annual financial seminars in Kentucky and California for their existing clients, who are asked to bring along interested friends.

Rubin and Green say client satisfaction stems from their approach to customer service. "Our commitment to service is critical," Rubin says. "This is a 24/7 occupation. There is no real 9 to 5. We make sure we're accessible at all times."

That means no later than a 24-hour response to a client call is allowed. It also means Green and Rubin are on the road a lot, traveling to visit clients in the Carolinas, Florida, Kentucky and California. "It's harder for them to come to us, so we go to them," Rubin says.

If that sounds demanding, Green and Rubin say they easily make it work. In the age of smart phones and iPads, they're able to get work done whether they're in the office or on the road.

They've also structured their agency so that, although clients work with one agent, everyone meets each client and is familiar with every account. "The clients know that, if one of us isn't here, they're dealing with the owners, and that owner knows their situation," Green says.

That leaves plenty of time for Green, 41, and Rubin, 43, to spend time with their wives and children — and watch the occasional horse race. The two, who use a database to keep track of all of their clients' horse races and wins, are frequent guests at Churchill Downs and Belmont Park.

"Our clients have been very successful in racing," Green says. "And we've been fortunate enough to ride their coattails."