NEWS & INSIGHTS
Stay informed. Move forward.
Practical guidance and selected industry reporting for the decisions independent agency owners make every day.
16 guides
How to buy an insurance agency
A successful acquisition starts with the right fit, a disciplined review, and a transition plan that puts clients first.
Read guide Buy & sellPrepare your agency for sale
Make your business easier to understand before asking a buyer to make a major decision.
Read guide Buy & sellWhat drives an insurance agency’s value?
Understand the questions behind a valuation before relying on a headline multiple.
Read guide Start & growHow to start an independent insurance agency
Start with the business you want to build. Then connect the licensing, markets, systems, people, and capital needed to run it.
Read guide Carrier accessCarrier access for new insurance agencies
Getting licensed and getting access to the right insurance markets are separate challenges. Understand the relationship behind the carrier logo.
Read guide Start & growBuild a realistic agency startup budget
Give every startup cost a place—and leave room for revenue to arrive more slowly than you hope.
Read guide Start & growGrow a small agency without losing your footing
Make the next stage of growth a repeatable operating process, not a bigger pile of work for the owner.
Read guide FinancingExplore financing for your next agency move
Start with the purpose of the funding, then prepare the information a lender or advisor needs to evaluate it.
Read guide Marketing & salesBuild a website and marketing process that earn trust
Help a prospective client understand whom you serve, why you can help, and what happens after they contact you.
Read guide Agency operationsSet up people and processes before the workload grows
Clear responsibilities make a small team more dependable and make it easier to bring the next person aboard.
Read guide Carrier accessHow to choose the right network, aggregator, or cluster
Start with the agency you want to build. Then look for a group whose markets, support, and agreement fit that plan.
Read guide Carrier accessIndependent, but supported: why agencies join larger groups
A larger group can give a local agency access to people and resources it would struggle to build alone. The value depends on what the agency actually uses.
Read guide Carrier accessBefore you join: costs, ownership, and the exit conversation
A promising relationship deserves a careful review of how it works on day one, during growth, and when circumstances change.
Read guide TechnologyChoosing an agency management system your team can use
Your agency management system should support the daily work of servicing clients and maintaining reliable records. Start with workflows before comparing feature lists.
Read guide TechnologyComparative raters: look beyond the lowest price
A comparative rater can simplify gathering quotes. Its value depends on relevant markets, dependable information, and a careful review of the resulting options.
Read guide TechnologyA CRM that supports agency growth without adding busywork
A customer relationship management system should make the next useful action clear: whom to contact, why, and who is responsible.
Read guide