‍Voila Insurance | 2026

Established in 1968, Monterey Credit Union (MCU) has grown to serve more than 23,000 members across the Central Coast, with branches stretching from Downtown Monterey and Carmel to Salinas and Hollister. Membership is open to anyone who lives or works in the counties of Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, or San Luis Obispo -- a broad, diverse region where members rely on MCU not just for loans and savings, but for guidance on the financial decisions that shape their daily lives.

When MCU and Voila began building their insurance program together, both sides recognized that a successful launch in a community this connected would require more than a digital integration. It would require a human one.

"Insurance is an integral part of our members' financial lives. Partnering with Voila has allowed us to provide our members with a nationwide agency built exclusively for credit unions and community banks."

-- Wade Pyron, Chief Executive Officer, Monterey Credit Union

Starting at the Branch, Not the Website

Most insurance programs at financial institutions live entirely online -- a link in a member portal, a banner on a product page. The Voila partnership with MCU was designed differently from the start.

Melissa DeAngelo, Voila's Chief Insurance Officer, traveled to Monterey County and visited MCU's branches directly. She met with staff, walked through the insurance quoting process side by side with the people who would be introducing it to members, and made sure the team understood not just how the program worked, but why it was worth recommending.

That kind of on-the-ground presence matters at a credit union. Branch staff are trusted advisors to their members, not sales representatives. For them to bring insurance into a conversation comfortably, they need to believe in what they are offering. Melissa's visits were designed to build exactly that confidence.

Beyond the initial branch visits, the MCU team has a direct line to Melissa DeAngelo and her team at Voila. When a member situation is unusual, when a coverage question doesn't fit a standard answer, or when staff simply want a second opinion before making a recommendation, the support is just a phone call or instant message away -- not a ticket in a queue. That access is built into the partnership, not bolted on as an afterthought.

"Insurance can feel like a complicated add-on to a member conversation. Our job is to make it feel like the natural next step -- something the credit union is offering because it genuinely helps, not because it is on a checklist. You can only build that kind of trust by showing up and working through it together."

-- Melissa DeAngelo, Chief Insurance Officer, Voila Insurance

Coverage That Fits the Community

Voila works behind the scenes to shop a network of more than 50 carriers on each member's behalf. The goal is coverage that fits the member's specific situation -- not a generic policy dropped into a file to satisfy a requirement.

For MCU members, that means a genuine market search every time, at origination and again at renewal. Voila does not place a policy and walk away. Each renewal cycle is treated as a fresh opportunity to confirm the member is still on the best available rate and that their coverage still reflects their actual risk profile.

An Integration Built Around the Member Experience

The Voila integration with MCU is designed to feel seamless from the member's perspective. When a member needs coverage -- whether through a loan conversation, a branch visit, or on their own through MCU's digital presence -- the path to a quote is straightforward and familiar, carrying the credit union's brand throughout.

On the staff side, the integration means MCU's team is never operating in isolation. Melissa DeAngelo and her team are an extension of MCU's member service capability -- available directly when staff have questions, when a member's situation is complex, or when the right coverage option isn't immediately obvious. That kind of embedded support is what separates a true partnership from a vendor relationship.

Proof-of-insurance documentation is also managed through the program, staying current at origination and at renewal so neither MCU staff nor members have to chase it down separately.

A Relationship Built to Last

Monterey Credit Union's commitment runs to members who will prosper for generations to come -- and the Voila program is structured to match that time horizon. Insurance income does not end when a loan is paid off. A member who is now loan-free is still a Voila customer at renewal, and MCU continues to earn from that relationship.

For a credit union that reinvests its earnings back into member benefits rather than distributing them to outside shareholders, that kind of recurring, low-lift non-interest income (NII) is a meaningful addition to the balance sheet -- one that grows naturally as the member relationship deepens over time.

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