American Family Insurance says it will open four new offices in Spokane and North Idaho by the end of March, and will continue to expand even more here.

"It's part of our growth strategy into the Spokane market," says Amy Schell, district manager here for the Madison, Wis.-based company, which sells auto, home, life, and business insurance products. "This has been a good area, and we have been very well welcomed."

With the additional offices, American family will have a total of 13 agents here, one year after entering the Spokane-area market. The agents have on average two employees each. It also employs four people at its district office here, which provides support and training for agents in Spokane County and North Idaho. The company plans to continue recruiting agents and expanding its presence here, she says.

American Family Insurance pays monthly salaries to agents and their two staff members, and leases office space for them for their first five years in business, Schell says. After five years, agents must lease or buy their office space and pay the salaries of their marketing and customer-service employees. They can only sell American Family Insurance products.

American Family is leasing agent spaces that range in size from about 1,000 square feet to 1,500 square feet for each of the four new offices. The offices will be located in Spokane at 4423 N. Division; in Spokane Valley at 1521 N. Argonne; in Coeur d'Alene at 234 Locust; and in Post Falls at 205 E. Seltice Way. A Madison, Wis.-based contractor is doing tenant improvements at the offices for American Family, Schell says.

The new North Division office is considered a combined office, with two agents on staff, and the other new offices each will have one agent, she says.

The company also has offices at Northpointe Plaza and on Spokane's South Hill, Schell says. Nationwide, American Family Insurance has more than 4,000 agents in 19 states and nearly 80 agents in Washington state, she says.

Chad Carper, of Spokane's Kiemle & Hagood, represented American Family Insurance in the leases, Schell says.