In 1945, Graham Hedden, known as “Grump,” began selling cars and car insurance in Waterford, Connecticut, establishing the Hedden Insurance Agency.

In 1962, his son Richard joined the business, eventually taking over from Graham. By 1979, Richard’s son Jeff began working part-time at the agency during high school. After graduating in 1981, Jeff transitioned to full-time work and assumed leadership.

The agency operated for 65 years until 2010, when Jeff sold it and relocated to Hilton Head, South Carolina. After a brief break, Jeff and his wife Nicole opened Hilton Head Insurance & Brokerage on August 22, 2015—Graham’s birthday—working from a spare bedroom in their home.

In 2016, Jeff partnered with Gary Davis, a local real estate professional, and opened their first office in Moss Creek. That same year, they hired their first employee, Coley Davis. By 2019, they moved to a larger office in the Village of Wexford. Growth continued with a second office in Bluffton in 2021 and an expansion into Charleston in 2023.

In 2024, Hilton Head Insurance & Brokerage relocated its Bluffton office to Westbury Park to accommodate its growing staff. From its beginnings in Connecticut to its success in South Carolina, the Hedden family’s legacy of dedication and entrepreneurial spirit lives on.