When the commercial insurance market hardens, like it has been during the last few years, it puts extra pressure on agencies and their producers to drive new business and retain existing clients. Producers have to step up their efforts to shop around for competitive prices for their clients, who are facing sometimes significant rate hikes.…
As insurance rates continue hardening across almost all lines, insurance agencies and their producers are the bearers of the bad news. Inflation has kicked into high gear for the insurance industry, in the wake of parts shortages, increasingly larger and costlier natural disasters, massive jury verdicts and reinsurance costs. All of those factors are increasing…
As insurance agency acquisitions continue at a blistering pace, more agency owners are considering cashing out. Some of them envision retiring early, traveling the world or permanently focusing on golfing, fishing or a life of leisure. But if that’s your plan, you may find selling your agency to one of the many expanding private equity…
While it would seem that the number of insurance agencies in the U.S. is shrinking judging from the steady stream of acquisitions by private equity buyers and growing brokerages, the number of independent agencies actually grew in the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, an amazing 4,000 independent agencies were launched during…
Insurance agencies know this is a hot time for acquisitions and mergers as they watch peer after peer being purchased or folded into a larger operation. The transactions are in part being driven by an infusion of private equity into the independent agency marketplace throughout the country, which has been driving up agency valuations. And…
After a decade of furious deal-making, insurance agency and brokerage mergers and acquisitions ebbed in 2022, likely due to rising interest rates and economic uncertainty, according to two new reports. A report by Optis Partners, an insurance industry consulting firm, notes that the number of M&As among insurance brokerages and agencies in the retail and…
Many agencies that are focused on high growth can run into issues if they write business that drives up the loss ratios of their books of business. Brokerages with high-loss-ratio books can quickly see agency appointments revoked, their reputation sullied and shrinking options for markets with which to place business. That can translate into a…
As your agency grows or if you are struggling to stay on a positive trajectory, it’s important that you know how well your staff is performing and how much you are spending to expand your book of business. Whether you’re growing or in an operational rut, you’ll want to make sure you are doing the…
First came the Great Resignation during the second year of the pandemic as people left their old jobs in droves to find greener pastures elsewhere. To some extent, that’s still going on, but there is a new breed of employee who, for whatever reason, has decided to “quietly quit” their jobs. But they aren’t actually…
This is the second part of a two-part series on the factors you should take into account if you are considering joining an insurance agency cluster. Last week we looked at a number of issues that an agency needs to consider when looking to join a cluster, including area of operations, account ownership and fees…