About Us

Gooden Insurance is an independently owned Trusted Choice Agency that operates in Clarksdale, Mississippi and is licensed to produce business in the states of Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee.  We can provide home, auto, and commercial insurance, bonds and so much more. As an Independent Agent and Trusted Choice Agent, we work for YOU, not just one insurance company.  Independent Agents are Agents who can provide multiple quotes from various carriers searching for the right coverage and best price for almost any situation. We are Insurance Professionals that have your back.

J. Norvell Gooden was first licensed by the Mississippi Insurance Commission as a Health, Life, and Accident Agent in January of 2004.  Norvell credits such carriers as Pacific Life and Annuity Company and Humana for initially giving him the opportunity to serve as an Agent/Broker.  Moving forward in the Health, Life, and Accident market allowed Norvell to start Gooden Insurance Agency which soon became a member of that National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.

Norvell aligned the insurance business alongside his siblings in the real estate business as well as in the family's property & asset management business.  He soon discovered that offering home insurance products would benefit the residential real estate customers, renters insurance would benefit the apartment customers, and habitational products would benefit the property management industry.  In the summer of 2004, Norvell successfully passed all requirements to become a Mississippi Licensed Property & Casualty Agent.  Norvell then was given the opportunity to learn and work under an experienced P&C Agent for the next three (3) years.

In the summer of 2007, Norvell began to secure P&C contracts from major Personal Lines and Commercial Lines companies which enabled him to launch J. Norvell Gooden Insurance.  Norvell credits Farmers Insurance and Foremost Insurance including Coast National and Bristol West Insurance as some of the insurance carriers who initially gave him sufficiently great opportunities in the P&C market. This allowed the agency to offer home, auto, renters, and umbrella insurance to the Clarksdale community, as well as residents and businesses in the counties of Coahoma, Quitman, Tallahatchie, Bolivar, and Tunica.  After years of successfully serving individuals, families and commercial customers, other major carriers soon followed with contracts.  By having multiple P&C contracts, Norvell's dream of becoming the first black owned Independent Insurance Agency in the Clarksdale Coahoma County area came to fruition.  By meeting the requirements of securing multiple P&C contracts as well as meeting additional requirements, the agency qualified to become a member of the Independent Insurance Agents of Mississippi, Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America and the Professional Insurance Agents Association.  

Norvell then found himself working with hard-to-place individuals and families in very rural areas as well as with commercial clients with specialized risks who could not meet some of the underwriting requirements of admitted insurers.  Norvell then applied and successfully became a Surplus Lines Agent/Broker.  This allowed the agency to market and provide additional options to those who faced challenges. Thereafter, Norvell decided to expand the customer based service area by becoming a Licensed Insurance Agent in the additional States of Arkansas and Tennessee.

Gooden Insurance has been a fixture in the Clarksdale Coahoma County area since 2004.  We serve customers throughout Northern and Central Mississippi, Eastern Arkansas and Southwest Tennessee.  We are striving to become your Agent of Record by "Building Relationships Through Customer Service, One Client At A Time".

Allow us to serve you!